The IMU – Intelligences des Mondes Urbains (“Intelligence on Urban Worlds”), Laboratory of Excellence won the first call for projects (contract for 2011-2021) issued by the “Future Investments” programme. It is now part of the 12 LabExes (“Laboratories of Excellence”) retained and supported by the University of Lyon Education and Research Cluster.

The objective of the LabExes is to boost the role and international visibility of leading French research centres.

With 440 researchers from 26 research centres, 16 scientific disciplines, 7 scientific research thematics, the Metropolis Workshop, and the soon-to-be-opened La Résidence, IMU intends to make of the Lyon-Saint Etienne conurbation a unique focus of reflection and experimentation on metropolisation and urbanisation.