Our mission
With 125 years of existence, HEIP is a pioneer in the fields of political science and international relations. The school was built around three strong values that we continue to defend today.
1. Training Enlightened Citizens
For Dick May, its founder, the goal was to educate students to better understand the world they lived in and to combat ignorance and prejudice.
Even today, HEIP’s mission is to train enlightened citizens who are capable of understanding the challenges of a complex and ever-changing world.
2. Innovating to Adapt to the Contemporary World
From its inception, HEIP positioned itself as a pioneer in the then-nascent field of social sciences.
Innovation remains at the heart of our values today, which is why the school offers strong programs on major global issues. Our curricula help students understand the contemporary world by emphasizing a strong international dimension.
3. Training Accomplished Professionals
Our mission is to train future professionals and equip them to thrive in a complex world. Whether in a national or international context, the excellence of our programs provides students with the tools they need to fully succeed in their careers.
125
Years of History
1500
Students
7
Campuses
225
International Students
50
Academic Partnerships Worldwide
A legacy, An ambition.
The Origins
The history of HEIP began in 1899, at a pivotal moment in French history.
A bold woman, Jeanne Weill, better known by her pseudonym Dick May, founded the École des Hautes Études Sociales on Rue de la Sorbonne in Paris.
Her dream? To educate young people, particularly future teachers of the Republic, in a new discipline that would revolutionize thought: sociology.
Her goal? To offer a broader, more critical view of the world, encouraging students to think for themselves, far from traditional teaching and the one-sided narratives presented by the media.
We are in the aftermath of the Dreyfus Affair, a time when the scandal revealed the flaws in the French educational system. At HEIP, the aim was not just to impart knowledge, but to cultivate free minds, capable of questioning established truths: it was about transcending classical education. Renowned intellectuals such as Anatole Leroy-Beaulieu and Georges Sorel, along with professors from the Sorbonne, took on the challenge of rethinking education and preparing future generations for a changing world.
Expansion
Over the years, the school diversified: the School of Morality, the School of Journalism, and even a School of Arts were created.
Gradually, HEIP became a place where the greatest intellectual and political figures of the time crossed paths.
Notable academics such as Émile Durkheim, the founder of modern sociology, Anatole France, the Nobel Prize-winning author, and Paul Deschanel, future President of the Republic, taught here. Léon Bourgeois and Charles Péguy were among the regular attendees. Romain Rolland, the famous author of Jean-Christophe, served as the director of the School of Arts. Gabriel Fauré, Ravel, and Debussy hosted musical evenings. All contributed their genius to the school.
The 20th Century
After World War I, HEIP evolved into the School of International Studies, School of Political Studies, and the School of Journalism.
The institution expanded its focus to address the major issues of the time. The Schools of Morality and the Arts were phased out, but HEIP continued to attract the brightest minds from political and academic circles. Albert Lebrun, Maurice Schumann, Léon Duguit, and many others were part of this educational adventure. The school was now at the heart of intellectual circles in Europe and around the world, at the crossroads of political, social, and economic knowledge.
HEIP Today
HEIP continues to proudly carry this legacy. The institution has continuously renewed itself, evolving while remaining faithful to its original mission: to offer a comprehensive education grounded in the realities of the contemporary world and open its doors to students from all corners of the globe.
International challenges, politics, and social sciences remain at the core of our teaching. Our professors, renowned experts, and international speakers share their knowledge and experience to help our students understand the world around them and shape the world of tomorrow.
As heirs to this long tradition of excellence, we are committed to passing on the spirit of curiosity, freedom, and critical thinking that has been the strength of HEIP since its founding.
Current Professors at HEIP
Aurélie Tardieu: Assessor Judge at the National Court of Asylum Law, Secretary General of the Francophone Network of International Law, Lecturer at the University of Caen
Florent Stora: Diplomatic Adviser at the Permanent Mission of France to the OECD
Arnaud Benedetti: Editor-in-Chief of Revue Politique et Parlementaire
Dominique de Combles de Nayves: Court of Auditors, Former Ambassador and Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and Defense
General Watin Augouard: Founder of the International Cybersecurity Forum, President of the National Institute for Cybersecurity and Resilience of Territories
Pierre Mourlevat: General Controller of Economic and Financial Affairs
Philippe Guibert: Editor-in-Chief of Médium journal
Gilduin Davy: Associate Professor of Law History, University of Paris X Nanterre
Frédéric Tristram: Lecturer in Economic History, Paris I
Benjamin Morel: Lecturer in Public Law, University of Paris II Panthéon-Assas
Richard Amalvy: General Director of the Brazzaville Foundation
Marine Mathé: Public Affairs Consultant
Morgan Donot: Doctor of Political Science, Associate Researcher at the University of Paris 3 – Sorbonne Nouvelle
Sandrine Simon de Bessac: Founder of the School of Orators, Professor of Eloquence, Law and Political Science, Lawyer, Business Coach, Speaker
Olivier Rouquan: Political Scientist, Speaker, and Associate Researcher
Fabrice Rizzoli: Teacher – Speaker, Project Manager, Political Scientist
Grégory Portais: Professor of Public Law, Administrative Law, Public Administration, Fundamental Freedoms, and Note-Taking, Higher Education, and Pre-Competition Schools for Legal and Administrative Exams
They taught at HEIP
Anatole France
Writer, Nobel Prize for Literature 1921, professor of “Journalistic Writing” at HEIP from 1902 to 1903
Arthur Fontaine
Drafter of the Treaty of Versailles (1919), First President of the International Labor Organization from 1919 to 1931, professor of “Right to strike” at HEIP from 1900 to 1915
Émile Durkheim
Founding member of modern French sociology, Founding member of the League of Human Rights, professor of “Sociology” at HEIP from 1903 to 1909
Leon Duguit
French jurist, Founder of the School of Public Service, professor of “Questions of general law” at HEIP from 1907 to 1911
Paul Vidal De La Blache
Founding member of modern geography, Member of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, professor of “Geography” at HEIP from 1901 to 1917
André Siegfried
Founding member of electoral sociology, Member of the French Academy, professor of “Democratic Systems” at HEIP from 1902 to 1905
Bertrand Russell
British philosopher, Nobel Prize for Literature in 1950, professor of “Anglo-Saxon political philosophy” at HEIP from 1910 to 1911
Romain Rolland
Writer, Nobel Prize for Literature in 1915, professor of “Literature and literary and musical criticism” at HEIP from 1902 to 1911
Paul Deschanel
President of the French Republic in 1920, Member of the French Academy from 1899 to 1922, Professor of “Political and International News” at HEIP from 1908 to 1918
Aristide Briand
President of the Council of Ministers 1909 – 1929, Nobel Peace Prize in 1926, professor of “Social Questions” at HEIP from 1901 to 1902
Leon Bourgeois
President of the Senate from 1920 to 1923, Nobel Peace Prize 1920, professor of “Democratic Doctrines” at HEIP from 1901 to 1911
Victor Basch
Co-founder of the Human Rights League, died for France in 1944, professor of “Political and artistic theories” at HEIP from 1903 to 1921
Paul Henri d’Estournelles de Constant
Nobel Peace Prize in 1909
Henri Lafontaine
Nobel Peace Prize in 1913
Ferdinand Buisson
Nobel Peace Prize in 1927
René Cassin
Nobel Peace Prize in 1968
The strength of a group
HEIP is part of the OMNES Education group.
A leading European private higher education operator, OMNES Education is the only group to offer a wide range of lifelong learning programs that cover key areas of Higher Education and Research:
Communication, Creation, Engineering, Management, and Political Science & International Relations.
Each of the schools within the group has its own unique identity:
CEI, Créa Genève, ECE, ESCE, EU Business School, INSEEC, IUM Monaco, Sup Career, IFG Executive Education, HEIP-CEDS, Sup de Création, and Sup de Pub all have strong individual identities, but share common values: a highly qualified faculty and recognized professionals.
Their ambition is to enhance the student experience in order to improve employability. The schools provide our students with a distinctive pedagogical experience, with a clear objective: to develop their employability to the fullest. Regardless of their career paths, graduates of OMNES Education benefit from easy access to employment, not only upon graduation but throughout their professional careers.
The schools are ideally located in Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, Chambéry, Beaune, Rennes, as well as in London, Monaco, Geneva, Abidjan, Barcelona, Munich, and San Francisco. They are housed in modern facilities equipped with the latest technologies, offering a pleasant and functional study environment designed for optimal learning.
José Milano
Managing Director OMNES Education
Céline Claverie
Managing Director HEIP CEDS