Basic information and contact details for 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.
Rankings
Select the type of rankings below to see stats
World University Rankings 2025
Breakdown via year: Overall
Ranking positions 2016 to 2025
2025
251-300th
2024
251-300th
2023
301-350th
2022
301-350th
2021
251-300th
2020
201-250th
2019
201-250th
2018
=182nd
2017
201-250th
2016
201-250th
Precise ranks and overall scores are shown for the institutions toward the top of a ranking; for institutions with banded ranks, please see the relevant ranking tables for an indication of their scores.
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