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It turns out we’re just a bunch of nerds here in London, which has officially come out on top when it comes to the cleverest cities in the world. The Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index is an annual study, ranking cities from across the globe that focuses on five categories; them being economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance.
Covering the largest 1,000 cities in the world, there are several rankings with London being featured on the ‘Human Capital’, ‘Economics’ and ‘Overall Score’ lists, solidifying itself once again as not only clever, but one of the best cities in the world.
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How is London the smartest city in the world?
Out of all of these insightful categories and in-depth studies, the Human Capital category delves into the collective knowledge of a city, as well as innovations, skill sets, and access to education.
From the educational and business climates of each city to demographic trends, indicators used to conjure up this list specifically, include educational attainment, universities, corporate headquarters, population growth, age profile, and foreign-born population.
All of that combined, London smugly made the top spot, reaching a perfect 100 score in the Human Capital category. These qualities make our glorious capital better positioned to adapt to advanced technological changes and to compete with other cities on a global level.
Beyond the brilliant minds of London…
However, when it came to the overall score, combining all the categories together, London came in second place following our friends across the pond in New York City (only by 0.6% though, so watch your backs, New York!). The overall score assesses the strength of the city when it comes to face value for businesses, academics and policymakers alike.
NYC also made the top spot in the economics category, with London coming in seventh following a myriad of US cities including Los Angeles, San Fransisco, and Seattle.
Other notable mentions include the lesser-known Grenoble in France, which came in number one when it comes to quality of life. This category was almost entirely dominated by European cities including Bern and Basel in Switzerland, Bergen in Norway, Reykjavik in Iceland, plus many more. To check out the whole study, click here to visit the Oxford Economics website.