Student life

The answer is…not really. In terms of academics, you really don’t have to, as almost all courses offered at universities in Hong Kong are conducted in English. The university administrations also use English to communicate with you. If you come to study in Hong Kong knowing only English, you will be just fine. Yet picking up the basics of the local language may make your life easier in Hong Kong.

People go to university for a variety of reasons: it might be for a degree, or it is simply the next step in life, or your parents expect it of you, or you want to make the most out of life. Whatever the reason, the university experience is different for everyone.

I don’t quite remember when I first decided to study public policy. Over the past seven years I’ve been lucky to work with some really talented practitioners in both politics and the public service, and I loved the experience. At a certain point I realised that this meant a career in government – and that was that.

Despite the hours students and their lecturers spend together, there’s a disparity in how much each knows about what the other thinks.

Students have their chance to formally evaluate classes, just in case their feelings weren’t flashing across their faces throughout the lectures. But, coursework grades aside, students don’t tend to have access to the inner thoughts of their university teachers.

One of the most popular questions that secondary school students get asked is “what do you want to be?”. But the thing is, in a world where the types of jobs are endless, choosing is tough.

In April 2013, Ellie Wood dropped out of her undergraduate degree at the University of Liverpool, just seven months after starting.

In this time, she’d been forced to take on crippling debt just to afford university housing and the other expenses that come with living in a big city. Ultimately, the cost was too much to bear.

Frankfurt is undoubtedly a great place to study. Right in the heart of Germany, the city is a well-connected hub and easy to reach by car, train or plane. Public transport is well developed and distances are short. The city also boasts a vibrant cultural scene, many opportunities for internships and part-time jobs and a wealth of other amenities. Several polytechnics and one university offer a wide range of subjects in many disciplines. As a place, it seems ideal for any student. There is only one minor problem: the price tag that comes along with studying here. 

My first experience of the ENS Lyon was as an Erasmus student. I’d opted for Lyon over Paris in a bid to sidestep some of the inevitable year-abroad clichés. Neither the city nor the university disappointed; I left Lyon to finish my degree, wishing that I could stay.

See the Times Higher Education World’s Best Small Universities 2016 table here.

One question has been playing on my mind for the past few weeks: does size matter to students?

I’m thinking, of course, about whether the number of students enrolled at a university has a significant impact on the student experience. Does it affect the quality of their academic experience for better or worse? Does it make any difference to their social lives and personal development?