Council leader Susan Aitken said it is an “incredible endorsement” of Glasgow that it has been ranked as the 61st best city in the world by a new report.

Glasgow has shot up the rankings in the annual World’s Best Cities report by Resonance Consultancy, after placing 93rd last year.

It means it is the second highest UK city in the list, behind London which was named as the world’s best again. Manchester came in 72nd with Liverpool at 74 and Birmingham at 85.

The report, which has been welcomed by city leaders, states Glasgow “powers to its global ranking on the strength of its education, including the planet’s eighth-most educated citizenry”.

“People not already here are certainly noticing,” it adds. “Tech start-ups hungry for cheap space and talent are drawn to the city’s working-class authenticity over pricier European capitals.”

It also states as a “university town”, Glasgow “performs well in our nightlife subcategory (42nd) and the city roars to prominence at gritty venues like the Sub Club, where live shows dominate”.

Resonance Consultancy, an advisor on tourism, real estate and economic development, also praised the city’s culture. It placed 72nd in that subcategory.

The report noted this year’s “packed events calendar”, including Celtic Connections festival and the UCI Cycling World Championships.

Cllr Aitken said: “In a list dominated by global capitals and long-established A-list urban centres, this is an incredible endorsement for Glasgow.

“Resonance prides itself on providing investors and visitors with objective rankings which go far beyond the usual surveys on cities.

“International recognition like this has the potential to be hugely important in the context of Glasgow’s place in a changing international economy.

“Major investors are making choices factoring in skills, workforces and pipelines of talent, livability and affordability. The World Cities rankings confirm Glasgow as a genuine global contender, one ready to lure the investment no longer attracted to overpriced capital cities.”

The report has also been welcomed by Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, who said it “really adds credibility to the city’s reputation”.

Mr Patrick added it is “pleasing to see Glasgow’s unique attributes recognised”.  “When we consider the rapid growth of innovation, tech and education here, it’s perhaps not a surprise to locals, but I’m sure our high ranking will catch the attention of new international investors,” he said.

Sub Club managing director and chair of the Night Time Industries Association Scotland, Mike Grieve, said: “Glasgow has long enjoyed a reputation around the world for the excellence of its nightlife and live music scene and I’m delighted to see that recognised.

“Late night culture is an important driver of the broader cultural imprint of the city, and the emergence of world class records labels and innovative DJ collectives and music producers in Glasgow since the late 1980s has sustained the provenance of our status as world leaders in club culture.”

He added the impact is “plain to see” as Glasgow attracts “students and creatives from around the world”.

Professor Sir Jim McDonald, principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Strathclyde and co-chair of the Glasgow Economic Leadership Board, said the city has “a rich history, a thriving present, wonderful people and a future of vast possibilities”.

He added the report “rightly identifies Glasgow as a city where start-up companies can flourish”, in particular, Glasgow City Innovation District, of “which Strathclyde is the principal driving force” and where businesses can “develop their enterprising ideas to fruition, driven by great talent, access to leading research, and entrepreneurial spirit and a step change in private investment levels”.

Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Glasgow, said: “We are proud of the reputation Glasgow has built, with universities like ours working closely with the city government, businesses, stakeholders and most importantly our local communities, to drive inclusive growth in key sectors like life sciences, quantum technologies, MedTech and through cultural and creative economies.”

The top 10 cities were London, Paris, New York, Tokyo, Singapore, Dubai, San Francisco, Barcelona, Amsterdam and Seoul. Glasgow was listed between Montreal (60) and Shanghai (62).

The full list can be viewed at: https://www.worldsbestcities.com/rankings/worlds-best-cities/