While many prospective students will crave large campuses and the anonymity of a bustling student body, many others will be attracted to the experience that a smaller institution can offer.
Times Higher Education has once again revealed the best small universities across the globe, and heard directly from the students at some of those institutions about what they love most about attending a small college.
For some, it was about smaller classes; for others, it was about closer relationships with teachers; and many said that a greater sense of community was the factor that clinched it for them. Those students who studied at small universities based in larger cities said that they appreciated the perks of a more intimate campus at the same time as enjoying the hustle and bustle of metropolitan life.
To be eligible for the ranking, universities must appear in Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings 2018, teach more than four subjects, and have fewer than 5,000 students.
Students at a dozen of the smaller universities gave us an insight into their student life and it seems that this positive view of smaller schools is echoed by students from Paris to Tokyo.

About École Normale Supérieure de Lyon
École Normale Supérieure de Lyon (ENS Lyon) is a French institution based in the city of Lyon.
As one of France’s four Écoles Normales Supérieures, ENS Lyon is a premier institution of research and learning. The majority of its students are recruited directly from French preparatory schools. However, a portion of its students earn the right to attend by passing rigorous entrance exams. These students, who come from France and Europe, are seen as civil servants in training, and are expected to work for France in exchange for financial support during university.
ENS Lyon’s mission is to train students to ask the right questions and to come up with innovative answers.
The university has its own start-up business innovator, which hosts projects in fields such as medical technology, computer sciences and geography. One previous project resulted in the development of supercomputer technology capable of effectively predicting seismic activity, making a step forward in earthquake prevention.
The first ENS was founded after the French Revolution and has since produced such great minds as Louis Pasteur, Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone Weil. Building on the success of the original school, ENS Lyon was founded in 1880.
The campus in Lyon is located close to the city centre with good public transport links. Throughout the year, conferences and events take place in the university’s facilities, such as the Kantor Theatre and the Salle Dutilleux.

Source: ©Times higher education - The world university rankings