Research Policy

Sciences Po is an institution of higher education and research that places research development at the heart of its strategy, and that radiates its scientific work in France and abroad. Its research policy rests on three pillars:

• intensive recruitment of high-level research professors;
• investment in new research areas and methods;
• increase in the resources enabling researchers to disseminate their work.  

The strengthening of the academic community

For several years, Sciences Po has pursued an ambitious policy of strengthening its scientific community. Sciences Po’s attractiveness has allowed it to recruit top researchers and professors, of whom most have international experience or are – for a third of them – foreign nationals. 

Renewed subjects and methods

While strengthening the research areas for which it is already renowned, Sciences Po has encouraged the exploration of new subjects and new questioning in order to better understand the transformations of a globalized world and to transcend the boundaries between the humanities and social sciences and life and natural sciences through projects launched under the Université Sorbonne Paris Cité (USPC) programme.  These developments have been accompanied by a methodological renewal and the development of innovative infrastructure in the digital area: in 2009 Sciences Po invested in the creation of médialab, and since 2012 it has been managing a national “equipment of excellence”, DIME-SHS

Rapid growth in resources

Sciences Po aims to provide optimum conditions for its research community to pursue its work.  The prioritisation of research is reflected in a budget that has grown from 40 to 64,3 million euros between 2007 and 2018, and in the annual launch of an internal call for projects.  Moreover, Sciences Po provides specific services to support projects that have enabled a six-fold increase in contract resources over the same period.  

Recognised results

According to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024, Sciences Po has risen this year to the rank of 2nd best university in the world in “Politics” out of more than 1,500 international universities. 
For 6 years, Sciences Po has been in the top 3 of the best international universities in this category. Sciences Po also remains the leading university in the European Union in this discipline for the ninth consecutive year and is, for the first time, the 1st in Europe.

Commitment to Open Sciences

Sciences Po supports research systems and tools that promote collaboration, knowledge dissemination and accessibility, and the re-use of research outputs based on the principle of ‘as open as possible, as closed as necessary’, within an appropriate legal and ethical framework. The Declaration on Open Science at Sciences Po (PDF, 180 Ko) harmonises with the recommendations and best practices for research ethics at Sciences Po and is in keeping with an ambitious public policy in this area.