Adalheidur Osk Gudlaugsdottir (called Heidi), 24 year old, enrolled in the MSc in Quantitative Economics (IMSQE)

Why did you choose to enrol in the elite programme IMSQE in Aarhus?
I heard about the IMSQE programme while I was doing my Bachelor’s at the University of Iceland. 
I come from a suburb near Reykjavik in Iceland and worked part-time at the Central Bank of Iceland during my BSc. Both my teachers at the university and my co-workers at the bank encouraged me to do my Master’s degree outside Iceland - and Aarhus University has a good reputation. When I applied for the Msc programme at the School of Economics and Management, I was encouraged to apply for the IMSQE. They considered my grades and my CV and found my profile suitable for the elite programme. And I was admitted.

How did you become interested in economics?
I liked math and economics in high school, particularly economic forecasting models. I am especially interested in economic bubbles, like the IT bubble in 2000 and the recent housing bubble, which started the global recession in 2008.

How were your very first weeks at the school?
They were very hectic, but also really interesting. The information meeting for newly enrolled elite students was crucial for me. I got all the information that I needed: where to find everything, where to sign up for courses and where to go if I needed help. Fortunately, it turned out that I knew another girl here from Iceland; that was really nice.

How was the jump from Iceland to Aarhus University?
Aarhus University is more math-orientated, but otherwise there is really not that much of a difference. I have now been here for almost two years and will soon begin writing my final thesis, and then I will hopefully graduate this summer.

What subjects do you have?
I take core courses such as microeconometrics, macroeconomics, time series econometrics, applied time series, macro and finance and development economics, and I also take some really interesting advanced PhD-level courses, such as advanced macroeconomics, advanced financial econometrics and advanced econometrics.

How is the academic level in the IMSQE programme?
First of all, there are many interesting topics. We follow some advanced-level courses intended for PhD students. The research centre CREATES also offers many opportunities for us to attend lectures and seminars given by leading international researchers in the field. It has been rewarding to follow lectures and seminars at CREATES because this is where the most recent research results within econometrics is presented.

How is the workload in the IMSQE programme?
There is a lot to read, but it’s not impossible to get through it all. I have spent around eight hours a day reading and preparing. So it’s a full-time job. If you are a student who likes quantitative disciplines, I can highly recommend the IMSQE programme.

How would you describe the help and feedback from your teachers?
Teachers are very accessible. Each IMSQE student also has a personal academic advisor from the academic staff. This means that there’s someone you can contact whenever you have a problem. This has been really helpful.

Do you have time for a study-related job?
Yes, I work as a teaching assistant and teach some of the classes in the Bachelor’s programme. My teaching evaluations have been quite good so far. Teaching is very rewarding and I learn a lot about myself too.

Have you participated in many social activities during your stay in Denmark?
I got to know the other students in the IMSQE programme quite well. I find Danes really good at socializing and involving us international students in social events, parties and similar. To me, this has been really important. You cannot function properly without a good social network.

Are you interested in doing a PhD at Aarhus University?
I have already been accepted for admission to the PhD programme next autumn, provided that I complete the IMSQE programme, and I look forward to starting. My project will probably centre around ”bubbles” and the DSGE framework. I would like to focus on how ”bubbles” arise, and what we can do about them. Should we try to burst them? Or should we let them be and try to facilitate a soft landing once they burst by themselves? I would like to find answers to those questions. Choosing to do a PhD here in Aarhus is probably the best indication of how much I have enjoyed the IMSQE programme.

What would you like to do when you graduate in three years?
I would like to work in a major bank, maybe at the World Bank Group or at the International Monetary Fund. My dream job would be financial analyst focusing on import/export data combined with unemployment data.

Do you think that your IMSQE degree will give you an advantage when you apply for a job in the future?
I am sure the IMSQE degree gives me an edge that other job applicants may not have. The entire programme has been good for me - and also for my CV.