Sciences Po
The Paris Institute of Political Studies (French: Institut d'études politiques de Paris, French pronunciation: [ɛ̃s.ti.ty de.tyd pɔ.li.tik də pa.ʁi]), commonly referred as Sciences Po (French pronunciation: [sjɑ̃s po]), is a highly selective French university (legally a grande école). It was founded as a private institution by Émile Boutmy in 1872 to promote a new class of French politicians in the aftermath of the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War of 1871 and grew to become a highly influential academic institution in the social sciences in France.
Alumni include many notable public figures, including 32 heads of state or government, 7 of the past 8 French Presidents, 3 past heads of the International Monetary Fund, heads of international organisations (including the UN, WTO, IMF and ECB), and six of the CAC 40 CEOs. In 2018 it was ranked as the world's 4th best school for politics and international studies behind Harvard, Oxford and Princeton.
The school undertook an ambitious reform agenda starting in the mid-1990s, which included an emphasis on the internationalization of the school's curriculum and student body, establishing a special admission process for underprivileged applicants, and expanding the school's presence by establishing new campuses outside Paris. Sciences Po currently has campuses in Dijon, Le Havre, Menton, Nancy, Paris, Poitiers, and Reims. The institution is a member of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs and the Global Public Policy Network.
