Professor Crettiez emphasizes that reality is far from the James Bond myth, as most intelligence work is office-based, aimed at rationally analyzing and countering threats. The program was created a decade ago in response to a government request following the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks, with the goal of training new agents and providing continuous training for current ones. The current cohort is distinguished by an unusual mix: young university students study alongside professional intelligence agents aged 35 to 50. Professor Xavier Crettiez admits he does not know the real names of many of his students, an exceptional situation in the academic world that reflects the program's secretive nature. The program is called a 'Diploma in Intelligence and Global Threats' and was developed in cooperation with the French Intelligence Academy. A unique training program at the Paris Institute of Political Sciences (Sciences Po) attracts students in their twenties, as well as active French government intelligence agents. The program costs external trainees around 5,000 euros, and over four months, they study subjects such as organized crime and corporate intelligence gathering. Professor Crettiez confirms that the expanded missions of French intelligence agencies (which include about 20,000 agents) are no longer limited to counter-terrorism but also include combating financial crimes, money laundering, and mafia activities. Furthermore, according to the BBC, the program attracts significant interest from the private sector, where major companies like Thales (aviation and defense) and LVMH (luxury goods) seek to hire its graduates to counter espionage and cybersecurity threats. Among the 28 students in the current cohort, the BBC reports that younger students join out of curiosity or patriotism, and women make up nearly half the class, an indication of recent development according to lecturers. The program requires French nationality for admission and regularly rejects suspicious applications.
