École Normale Supérieure de Lyon is an elite French public institution that trains professors, researchers, senior civil servants as well as business and political leaders. Students choose their courses and split their time between training and research in sciences and humanities. Built on the tradition of the ENS de Fontenay-Saint-Cloud, founded in 1880, the ENS de Lyon also focuses on educational research. It is a symbol of French Republican meritocracy and it remains committed today to disseminating knowledge to the widest audience and to promoting equal opportunity.

ENS de Lyon is part of the Université de Lyon and supports quality research that has earned it a Fields medal (Cedric Villani, 2010) and many CNRS medals. It encourages interdisciplinary studies to foster a better understanding of complex contemporary issues.