At Sciences Po Saint-Germain, a striking blend of youthful optimism and seasoned experience comes together. Professor Xavier Crettiez notes he often doesn't know the true identities of his students, as many are dispatched spies from French intelligence.
Situated on the outskirts of Paris, the university fosters a discreet environment, ideal for training future operatives. Here, the Diploma of Intelligence and Global Threats is taught, a collaborative initiative formed after the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks to bolster France's intelligence workforce.
Currently, the course serves about 28 students, including six active spies, who seek advanced training in recognizing and mitigating threats, ranging from organized crime to cyber security. The curriculum is rigorous, developed in partnership with the French secret services, offering insights from notable figures in law enforcement and the intelligence community.
Despite the presence of spies, the mood is one of camaraderie—students engage openly about their motivations, sharing aspirations of contributing positively to national security. Women now represent nearly half of the cohort, a shift seen as promising in the field of intelligence.
Amidst all the intrigue, Professor Crettiez warns against romanticized notions of espionage, clarifying that many roles in the intelligence community are more desk-bound than action-packed, focusing instead on analysis and strategy.
