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

Over the past few years Sciences Po has been pursuing an ambitious policy of strengthening its scientific community.  This priority policy is a long-term effort: since 2009, over forty positions have been created.  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

In the 2020 QS World University Rankings by subject, Sciences Po has reached the 2nd rank in the world in "Political Science & International Studies", positioned  behind Harvard University, and tied with Princeton. Sciences Po is for the first time the best university of Europe in this discipline, in front of the University of Oxford and the London School of Economics and Political Studies (LSE). 

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.