Interview with Dr. Matthias Schlegl
〜Dr. Matthias Schlegl (Major: macroeconomics, international finance) 〜
大学に進学しようとする人にとって避けられないのが学部選び！そこで、今回は経済学部の教授であるマティアス・シュレーグル教授に経済学とはどういった学問なのか、大学進学の際に重要なことなど、学部選びに役に立つことをお聞きしてきました。また、ドイツの名門ミュンヘン大学での大学生活、さらにオックスフォード大学やカリフォルニア大学バークレー校でのリアルな体験についてもお聞きしてきました。経済学部に興味がある方、留学に興味がある方必見の記事となっています！
（今回の記事は英語での記事となっています。）
Contents
Part 1 "Fascination with Economics"
- Differences between Microeconomics and Macroeconomics
- What is International Finance?
- Attractive points with Macroeconomics and International Finance
Part 2 "Japan's Lost Decade"
- Current Research
- Bank of Japan's monetary policy
Part 3 "Reality of Foreign Universities"
- Differences between Japanese and German Universities
- Common characteristics of students at high-level universities
Part 4 "Don't be afraid and Don't be shy"
- Messages to high school students and university students
(Interview Date: July 28th, 2022)
Messages to high school students and university students
I would like to hear your messages to high school students who are thinking about study abroad, high school students who are thinking about going to university, and university students. First of all, please give a message to high school students who are thinking about studying abroad.
Dr. Schlegl: One of the messages that I would like to give is: "Don't be shy and Don't be afraid".
When I think back to my own experience, my first foreign university was the University of Oxford. At first, I struggled a lot with English and keeping up with understanding classes. Listening to professors during class was still okay but joining the discussion with other students and expressing myself in English was very tough for me, particularly in such a high-level university.
Looking back, I think I was always hesitant to speak English in high school in Germany because I didn't want to make mistakes in front of people. So, I always considered English classes to be a bit annoying.
However, I would have studied English very hard if I had understood that learning English is not something you do for a class, but a really important skill for the rest of your life. Studying English hard will make it easier for you to go to study abroad.
So, I would like to say, "don't be afraid and don't be shy to speak English, and study English hard". Furthermore, the same can be said for studying abroad.
The first time when I went to Oxford, I think I didn't want to go. When I applied, I didn't expect that I get approval. When I got approval, I was very afraid because I never left Germany by myself before that. I am from the countryside, so even going to Munich was a big challenge for me but then going alone to a different country was very scary.
But all my friends said "Oh, this is such a good opportunity, you should go", so I kind of forced myself to go. My true feeling was I didn't want to go because it was very scary. Maybe for 2 or 3 days, I felt that way when I was in England, but after that, I could really enjoy it so much.
Of course, language was a bit of an issue in the beginning, but I could enjoy the life style of the foreign country and I could enjoy meeting people from all over the world. Before that, I only knew people from Germany. So, studying in England offered me many new and exciting experiences. I completely lost this nervousness so going to England and going to a foreign country make me much more interested in visiting different places in the world. After that, I applied to study abroad in America and I traveled to many countries in Asia. I think it is very fascinating to get to know a different culture, different places and different people. Everywhere I go, I realized people are very nice and friendly, and welcoming. We should have an open attitude. So don't be shy and don't be afraid and when you go there don't be afraid to make mistakes.
So, it is important to challenge yourself without fear of making mistakes, not only in going to study abroad. Next, please give a message to high school students who are thinking about going to university.
Dr. Schlegl: I would like to say, "choose a university or department based on what you really want to do."
I know many people in Germany that choose the university not based on what they like to do but on what they think is useful for a job or what their family wants them to do. I think high school students maybe don't really know what they want to do but if you have some passion that you want to continue in university, please choose the university according to what you like best. Don't choose according to your dad or what your friend think you should do. Many companies don't care so much about your major or subject that you study. So, I think you should choose your major according to your interest, not according to what people tell you.
In Germany, if you are good at what you are doing in university, you can always find a good job, and you can find a good opportunity in your life. But the important thing is doing something that you really want to do. Don't spend 4 years at university or for your life learning about a topic that you are not interested in.
So, it is important to be honest about what you want to do. Finally, do you have a message for university students?
Dr. Schlegl: I think university students should take the university seriously. Of course, students should enjoy university life. This is kind of the only time in your life you’re free to study what you are interested in, to choose a class that you like, to choose circles you like, to choose your friends. There is no formality rule about your behavior or dress code. So it is a time that you are very free and where you can enjoy your life a lot. So, of course, you should enjoy that.
But, on other hand, I think you should consider university as a full-time job. You should enjoy the 4 years at university but don't put university as your last priority. Don't put your classes as your last priority. This should be your full-time job. Don't have five part-time jobs next to university. Don't take your circle more seriously than your classes. University is a place where you train for life. My professor in Munich said: "You should enjoy university, but university is also your full-time job. Take university as seriously as you would take your job. " Sometimes, I feel some students are sleepy because they do a part-time job before or they are late to class, they don't care about the contents of the class. I think this is a bad attitude. If you continue with such an attitude, I think you cannot succeed in your life. I think whatever we do we should take as seriously even though we want to enjoy it as well.
When you are at a high school you don't have many choices. People tell you what you should study. Your teacher wants you to learn his lecture, you are really not free to choose what you want to learn about. In university, you can choose, you are free to choose. But if you are free to choose, take it seriously and follow your choice. It is a place you can be critical. One thing I tell in my macroeconomics class is "I give you my view, but you can have a different view, or you can read other books with different ideas. " University is a place where you discover many different fields and many different alternative ideas. For that, you need to do your own reading and research, but you cannot do that when you drink every night and do many part-time jobs. One last thing is "do study abroad" even if it's scary at first or difficult. It is very helpful for the rest of your life. I think that is my remark.
Thank you very much for taking the time to talk to me and have a great summer break.
いかがでしたか？
厳しい競争環境の中で戦い抜いてきた、マティアス・シュレーグル教授だからこそのメッセージだと個人的に感じていました。
このインタビューは最近「円安」「物価高騰」「金融緩和」などのマクロ経済に関することがニュースでよく報道されていることから、実際にマクロ経済学を専門としているマティアス・シュレーグル教授に色々お聞きしたいという私の思いから始まりました。お願いのメールをしたところ快諾をいただき、さらに、2時間という長時間のインタビューに付き合っていただいたマティアス・シュレーグル教授にはとても感謝しています。マクロ経済以外の話など、授業では聞くことができないこともたくさん聞けて、充実したインタビューだったと感じています。もし、読者の中に上智大学に通っているまたは通う予定の方がいましたら、是非マティアス・シュレーグル教授の授業を履修してみてください！
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