University of Lyon facts for kids
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Université de Lyon
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The Palais Hirsch, one of the university campus in front of the Rhône River.
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| Latin: Universitas Lugdunum | |
| Motto | Scienta et Labore |
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| Type | Public |
| Established | 1995 |
| Endowment | €4,000,000 over two years |
| President | Frank Debouck |
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Academic staff
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5,000 |
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Administrative staff
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11,500 |
| Students | 120,000 |
| 5,000 | |
| Address |
92, rue Pasteur 69361
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,
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France
45°44′53″N 4°51′08″E / 45.748151°N 4.852352°E |
| Campus | Multiple campuses |
| Colors | Blue and Black |
| Website | www.universite-lyon.fr |
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The University of Lyon (called Université de Lyon in French) is a large group of universities and schools in Lyon, France. It brings together 12 main members and 9 other partner institutions. Lyon is one of France's biggest university cities, after Paris and Toulouse.
This university group has about 129,000 students. It also has 11,500 teachers and researchers. There are over 500 research labs, both private and public. The three main universities in this group are:
- Claude Bernard University Lyon 1: This university focuses on health and science. It has about 27,000 students.
- Lumière University Lyon 2: This one is for social sciences and arts. It has about 30,000 students.
- Jean Moulin University Lyon 3: This university teaches law and humanities. It has about 20,000 students.
The French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) is also an important part of this network. Together, these schools work to improve and share scientific research. The University of Lyon has a long history. It was once a single university, but it later split into several independent parts. It has been a major center for studying ancient Egypt since the late 1800s.
Many famous people have studied or taught at the University of Lyon. These include Victor Grignard, who won a Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Alexis Carrel won a Nobel Prize for Medicine. Yves Chauvin also won a Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Jean Jouzel shared a Nobel Peace Prize. Other notable alumni include Cédric Villani, a famous mathematician, and Hélène Courtois, an astrophysicist.
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A Brief History of the University of Lyon
Lyon has always been a city known for its trade and business. This is because it's located where two rivers meet, near Switzerland and Italy. For a long time, Lyon didn't have many universities. People worried that education would take young people away from business.
Early Education in Lyon
The first modern school in Lyon started in 1519. It was created by a group called the Brotherhood of the Trinity. In 1527, the city of Lyon took over the school. It became known as the Collège Confrérie de la Trinité. This was special because it was one of the first schools to welcome both boys and girls. Famous poets like Louise Labé studied there. In the 1500s, this college was a key place for new ideas about humanism.
During religious conflicts, the school's director, Barthélemy Aneau, was killed in 1561. Later, in 1565, the Jesuits took over the college. They expanded it in the 1600s with money from Anne of Austria, a queen. The college added a theater, a library, and an observatory. In 1702, an observatory was built on top of the Chapelle de la Trinité.
In 1763, the Oratorian order took charge of the college. But during the French Revolution in 1793, all universities were closed. The revolutionaries believed they were too old-fashioned and not open to everyone.
Rebuilding and Growth
In 1806, Napoleon I created the University of France. This system brought all French universities under one central control. New schools for arts and sciences opened in Lyon. By the early 1800s, Lyon had over 2,500 students. This made it the second-largest university city in France, after Paris.
Modern faculties, which are like departments, were set up in Lyon later. The Faculty of Sciences opened in 1833. The Faculty of Letters (for arts and humanities) opened in 1838. A Faculty of Law started in 1875. The Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy began in 1877.
On July 10, 1896, these different faculties officially formed the University of Lyon. They shared a building called the Palais des Facultés, now known as the Palais Hirsch. By 1920, the University of Lyon had over 3,500 students. It remained the second-largest university in France until 1968.
The University Splits Up
After big student protests in France in May 1968, the University of Lyon changed. A new law aimed to give universities more freedom. The University of Lyon was then divided into three separate universities:
- Claude Bernard University Lyon 1: This became a university for sciences. It is named after Claude Bernard, a famous scientist.
- Lumière University Lyon 2: This university focuses on humanities, social sciences, and arts. It is named after the Lumière brothers, who invented cinema.
- Jean Moulin University Lyon 3: This one teaches law and political science. It is named after Jean Moulin, a French Resistance hero from World War II.
How the University of Lyon Works Today
Lyon is the third-largest university city in France. In 2024, it has 175,000 students. About 23,000 of these students come from other countries. There are also 11,500 researchers and teachers.
Research and Innovation
The University of Lyon has 510 research labs. Each year, about 800 students earn their doctoral degrees here. The university has 18 special "doctoral schools." These schools are grouped into different areas:
- Life Sciences: Like biology, health, and cancer research.
- Exact Sciences: Such as electronics, engineering, chemistry, and computer science.
- Humanities and Social Sciences: Including social studies, languages, history, and law.
The University of Lyon manages big projects for the "Investments for the Future" program. It has received almost one billion euros for these projects. Many of its labs have been recognized for their excellence. Some research institutes also work closely with private companies.
Helping New Ideas Grow
The French government launched a program called France 2030. As part of this, the University of Lyon created a company called PULSALYS. This company helps turn new research ideas into real-world products or businesses. It helps with patents, creating new companies, and licensing new technologies. PULSALYS has a budget of €57 million over 10 years. Its goal is to connect scientific research with new businesses.
Members of the University of Lyon
- Claude Bernard University Lyon 1
- Lumière University Lyon 2
- Jean Moulin University Lyon 3
- Jean Monnet University
- École Normale Supérieure de Lyon
- École centrale de Lyon
- École nationale des travaux publics de l'État (ENTPE)
- INSA Lyon
- Institut d'études politiques de Lyon
- VetAgro Sup
- École nationale d'ingénieurs de Saint-Étienne (ENISE)
- Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS)
Associated Institutions
- Emlyon Business School
- École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Lyon
- École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Saint-Etienne
- École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Saint-Étienne
- École supérieure de commerce et management (ESDES)
- Institut polytechnique de Lyon (includes CPE Lyon, ECAM Lyon, ISARA Lyon, ITECH Lyon)
- École nationale des travaux publics de l'État
- Ecole Nationale Superieure des Sciences de l'information et des Bibliotheques (enssib)
See also
In Spanish: Universidad de Lyon para niños
- CROUS
