In France, unlike in Anglo-Saxon countries, university has been for a long time the object of a sociological indifference. This article contributes to the opening of the university black box and reflects on university autonomy and adaptability to the work field. In view of this problem, the French ministry of higher education and research has created a new Web site, the Portail étudiant, to which the observatories of student life (OVE) are opposed. The analysis of the methodological conflict raises a broader questioning on the importance of territorial dimension in the construction of statistical indicators realized by the OVE.