Mon, 05 Jan 2026

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 The French university where spies go for training

Sciences Po Saint-Germain near Paris trains current French secret agents and potential new recruits.
A university professor who teaches France's spies has revealed that he often doesn't know the real identities of his students due to their clandestine nature. Xavier Crettiez, a professor at Sciences Po Saint-Germain in Paris, said it's unusual for him not to have knowledge about his students' backgrounds, but this is the norm when teaching intelligence agents. The university campus, where France's spies are trained alongside traditional students, has a discreet and intimidating atmosphere. The course, called Diploma of Intelligence and Global Threats, was developed by Sciences Po in association with the French secret services after the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks. The diploma costs around €5,000 and includes modules on topics such as economics of organized crime, Islamic jihadism, business intelligence gathering, and political violence. Students are vetted before attending classes, which is a requirement for outsiders like journalists. One of the students, who goes by the name Roger, said he's an investment banker providing consultancy in West Africa and joined the course to assess risks for his clients. Prof Crettiez noted that there has been a huge expansion in France's secret services in recent years, with around 20,000 agents now working within the "inner circle". The private sector is increasingly interested in hiring students from this program, as they face cybersecurity threats and sabotage. Big businesses like Orange, Thales, and LVMH have recruited graduates, while six of the current class are active spies. Students on the course come from a range of backgrounds, including some who want to join the security services inspired by TV dramas or James Bond movies. Nearly half of the students in the class are women, which is a relatively new development according to one lecturer. However, Prof Crettiez is wary of applications from certain countries and notes that most French intelligence agency jobs are desk-bound rather than field-based adventures like those depicted in spy movies.
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