For the first time, Lyon is top of the rankings compiled by L’Étudiant magazine, winning the title of Best University City in France. Lyon shone, in particular, in terms of attractiveness, quality of courses and its pleasant and dynamic living environment, which some 150,000 students already enjoy. Lyon beat 14 other cities to come first, having been ranked in 9th place in 2015, then in 4th place in 2016. It outstripped last year’s winner, Grenoble, and Toulouse, the 2015 winner.
After analysing 44 large and medium-sized cities according to fifteen criteria, the magazine examines their strengths and weaknesses in five key areas:
1. Attractiveness (number of French and international students),
2. Training (density and success rate),
3. Student life (culture, lively places, hotspots, activities),
4. The living environment (transport, housing),
5. Employment (unemployment rate and economic dynamic).
Lyon outshone the other cities when it came to attractiveness and training. Over the past ten years, the city has received over 30,000 additional students, more than Aix-Marseille, Grenoble and Toulouse combined. Students are undoubtedly attracted to its high-quality, diverse and innovative offer, meaning it earns top points for attractiveness. The University of Lyon offers more than 1000 training courses by opening new courses to adapt to the job market and its challenges.
Jacques de Chilly, DG in charge of economic development, employment and knowledge at Metropole de Lyon, puts Lyon’s success down to “the excellence of the courses offered. As well as our three main universities and major prestigious schools like Centrale, Insa or EM Lyon, we also have several small engineering schools that are highly specialized in their fields. This is not new but the offer has been enhanced, and the city’s academic weight and prowess is finally recognized.” In parallel, employment in Lyon has grown with the creation of nearly 100,000 new jobs.
Finally, the city’s image has evolved, which is also an important factor of its appeal. Public transportation, soft transport modes, new districts, the cultural offer, etc. The city’s varied and numerous initiatives have enabled it to stand out this year.
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