A few criteria distinguish public universities from private universities, including financing sources, size, religious affiliation, and curriculum offerings. State governments subsidize public schools, while private universities rely on individual contributions and tuition fees to survive.
In general, public universities are larger than private universities in terms of student enrollment, campus size, and class size. In several nations, public universities are required to be secular by legislation. Private universities and schools, on the other hand, may be non-secular.
Finally, private institutions often provide a narrower selection of courses than public universities, which may be divided into several schools.
10 Best Public Universities in Europe:
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge has been in operation since 1209 and is regarded for being one of the longest-lasting universities in the world. It is made up of 31 self-governing colleges, 150 academic departments and faculties, and is separated into six schools. Cambridge’s acceptance rate in 2015 was 21%, and it is still regarded as one of the most difficult universities to get admission to. Cambridge is the greatest university in the UK and the fourth best in the world, according to CWUR 2019-2020. Cambridge is ranked in the top three for Arts & Humanities, Engineering & Technology, and Life Sciences & Medicine in the QS World University Ranking by Subject.
Imperial College London
After 100 years, Imperial College London obtained independence from the University of London in 2007. The institution has about 20,000 students, with more than half of them being international. Imperial is made up of four faculties, one of which is a business school. Imperial’s acceptance rate in 2015 was 14.3%. Imperial is ranked ninth in the QS World University Rankings 2020. However, its Faculty of Engineering is ranked seventh.
Sorbonne University
Sorbonne University, one of the top 100 universities in the world, is a public research institution based in Paris with about 42,000 students. It is regarded as one of France’s top three universities. It is divided into two colleges: the Sorbonne College and the Doctoral College. The University of Toronto and King’s College London are two of Sorbonne’s significant international partners.
École Polytechnique
This public university in the Paris suburbs is regarded as one of the most prestigious in France. École Polytechnique, popularly known as X, is ranked number two in the Times Higher Education Small University Rankings and number 61 in the QS World University Rankings 2021. It is classified as a minor university because it has only about 3300 students, the vast majority of whom are postgraduate students. In truth, it only offers one English-taught Bachelor degree in Math, with the option to double major in Physics, Economics, or Computer Science.
Technical University of Munich
TUM, founded in 1868, today includes five campuses in Germany and one in Singapore. With around 42000 students, 12000 are international students. TUM is organized into 15 academic departments, 5 of which are schools, with a significant emphasis on research. It is ranked 50th in the QS World University Rankings 2021.
Heidelberg University
This is Germany’s oldest public university, founded in 1386, and the third to open its doors during the Holy Roman Empire. It has roughly 29,000 students, with 20% of them being foreigners. It has 12 faculties and offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs. The majority of programs are presented in German, although some are also available in English and French. The Times Higher Education Ranking 2020 places Heidelberg University third in Germany and 44th worldwide.
Radboud University
Radboud institution is a public research institution linked with the Roman Catholic church that was founded in 1923. Four major rankings, including CWUR and SARWU, consistently place it among the top 150 institutions in the world. Radboud University has over 23,000 students enrolled, as well as nearly 3,000 staff employees. English is taught in nine of the 46 undergraduate programs. It also offers 75 postgraduate degrees, half of which are offered in English.
Nova University Lisbon
Nova University Lisbon is one of Portugal’s newest universities, with five faculties, three institutes, and one school. In reality, it first opened in 1973. It presently has approximately 20,000 students and 1,800 employees. The nine academic units operate on a semi-autonomous basis. The Lisbon MBA is offered by Nova School of Business and Economics in conjunction with the Catholic University of Portugal and the MIT Sloan School of Management. The Financial Times ranked NOVA SBE among the top 30 European Business Schools last year. NOVA SBE is also ranked among the top 100 business schools in the world by Eduniversal.
University of Cyprus
The University of Cyprus, founded in 1989, is located in Nicosia, the country’s capital. It is home to about 7,000 students and offers undergraduate and postgraduate studies. It is made up of eight faculties and 22 departments. Their programs are taught in Greek, although their MBA degree is taught in English. UCY is rapidly expanding and is regarded as an important research hub.
University of Helsinki
The University of Helsinki is Finland’s oldest and largest university, located in Helsinki. It comprises 11 faculties and 11 research institutions, with 31,000 students enrolled. It grants bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees. Although teaching is done in Finnish and Swedish, the university also offers Masters and Doctoral degrees in English. The QS World University Rankings 2021 place Helsinki 104th.
