On the edge of Paris, there’s a very unusual university called Sciences Po Saint-Germain. It’s not just for regular students in their 20s. French intelligence agents also attend classes here, learning skills they need for real-life spy work.
Professor Xavier Crettiez, who teaches about political radicalization, admits he often doesn’t know the real identities of his students.
The campus itself looks serious and secretive. But inside, the learning is anything but ordinary.
The main program is called the Diploma of Intelligence and Global Threats. It was created after the 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris to train new spies and keep current agents up-to-date.
Students study a wide range of subjects, including organized crime, jihadism, political violence, and business intelligence. They send their security staff for training and hire graduates for their expertise.
During one lesson on “intelligence and over-reliance on technology,” a student called Roger, who is in his 40s, explained that he’s an investment banker. He works in West Africa and joined the course to give better risk advice to his clients.
French intelligence has grown a lot in recent years. There are around 20,000 agents in the “inner circle,” including the DGSE, which handles overseas operations like MI6 or the CIA, and the DGSI, which deals with threats inside France like MI5 or the FBI. Intelligence work isn’t only about terrorism. Agencies like Tracfin focus on money laundering and organized crime, especially drug trafficking and corruption in southern France.
The lecturers are experts from different fields, including former DGSE officials, a former French ambassador to Libya, senior Tracfin officers, and even corporate security heads from companies like EDF. This mix of professionals gives students both academic knowledge and practical skills for real-life intelligence work.
