North South University recently organized a youth dialogue event on ‘Higher Studies and Career Prospects in Economics and Development Studies’ on May 6. The event was organized by NSU’s Department of Economics along with their youth engagement partner, the Young Economists’ Forum (YEF).
The speaker and resource person was Dr Niaz Asadullah, a visiting professor from the University of Reading, UK, and Professorial Fellow at NSU’s Department of Economics.
Dr. Asadullah began his talk by reminding the audience that “Economists love to be disruptive and Economics as a discipline always invites disruptions. I also want to disrupt your thinking about economics”.
“As a discipline, we take science seriously, but we still care about stories,” he also emphasized, recognizing the resurgence of narratives in economics discourse. Additionally, he likened academics from Development Studies and Economics to close cousins, stating, “They keep swapping places throughout their career.”
When advising students on pursuing a career in Economics, Professor Asadullah urged them to consider less explored fields like public policy and data science, emphasizing the significance of broadening their search beyond Economics programs. He recommended considering universities beyond the US and UK, particularly highlighting the growing significance of Spain, Italy, and rising Asian institutions.
Further, he urged students to consider a variety of career paths, beyond the more traditional roles like life-long faculty and research roles to multiple sectors in think tank and research administration, social work, and entrepreneurship.
“We are thrilled to have Professor Niaz Asadullah at North South University. His expertise and insights will undoubtedly guide our students in terms of their writing and research skills, career progress, and growth as young economists,” said Dr. Asad Karim Khan Priyo, Chair, of the Department of Economics at NSU.
Professor Asadullah holds a PhD from the University of Oxford and has expertise in Economics of Education, Development Economics, and Labor Economics. His scholarly contributions have earned him recognition as one of the top 3% of economists in Asia, according to IDEAS RePEc authors ranking.
Throughout the month of May, Professor Asadullah’s visit to NSU will include seminars and workshops with students and faculty members, fostering meaningful engagement within the NSU community. The highlight of his visit will be the public lecture on “Managing Education in Times of Crisis: Lessons from Malaysia.”
