The Paris Institute of Political Studies (French: Institut d’études politiques de Paris, commonly known as Sciences Po [sjɑ̃s po] or Sciences Po Paris), is a publicresearch university, with the status of grande école and grand établissement, located in Paris, France, with further campuses in Dijon, Le Havre, Menton, Nancy, Poitiersand Reims. Sciences Po offers courses and conducting research in political science, history, economics, law, and sociology.
The institute was established in 1872 by Émile Boutmy as the École libre des sciences politiques, a private and independent institution of higher education, founded in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War with the stated objective of renewing the training of the political elites and thereby contributing to ameliorating the nation’s fortunes after its defeat of 1870. Boutmy aimed at modernising education for French civil servants, by offering additional teachings than the classics, which had historically been taught in traditional universities,[8] to focus on the social sciences, a relatively new field of study at the time, as a medium to equip political leaders with competences enabling the analysis of the state of society.[9] In 1945, the school was nationalised and re-established as a public institution, after criticism of the attitude of its staff during the Second World War and subsequent calls for its closure.[10] From the Third to Fifth Republic, it acquired a substantial role in educating the growing number of people entering civil service.
After a reform in 1985, Sciences Po began offering full degrees in the social sciences as primary education for its students.[9] Since the mid-1990s, Sciences Po’’s curriculum has been substantially reformed to broaden its focus and to prepare students for the private sector as well as civil service, and has in accordance with the Bologna process implemented bachelor’s and master’s degrees as its education model. The Sciences Po curriculum has been expanded to social sciences such as economics, law, and sociology, in addition to its original curriculum in political science and history.[11] As of 2021, 80% of Sciences Po graduates choose careers in the private sector.[12]
The institute is a member of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) and CIVICA – The European University of Social Sciences.[13]