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For 90 years, IHEDN has been a unique place for reflection, debate and action. A place whose evolution over the course of these nine decades has been linked to that of the concept of national defence and the need to ensure that this is not restricted solely to military defence.
Originally named the College of Advanced National Defence Studies (CHEDN), our Institute was established by a decree issued by President Albert Lebrun on 14 August 1936. Published in the Official Journal of 21 August, This decree was preceded by a «Report to the President of the French Republic» signed by 14 members of the government, foremost among them the President of the Council, Léon Blum, and the Vice-President and Minister of National Defence and War, Édouard Daladier.
This commitment from such a wide range of ministries (Interior, Foreign Affairs, Finance, National Education, Public Works, Trade, Agriculture, etc.) already highlighted the imperative that still guides IHEDN's missions: to involve as much of French society as possible in understanding and contributing to national defence. The report put it this way:
«The State must pursue a national defence policy which, in order to be defined and implemented, requires not only the participation of the three military ministries, but also the indispensable cooperation of all departments [...] whose activities are, to a large extent, carried out within the framework of the general national defence policy [...].
This college of advanced national defence studies will also create, among all its students, officers and civil servants, a unity of feeling, thought and doctrine that will be the best guarantee of unity of action to prepare in peacetime and ensure the defence of the country in wartime.»
For 90 years, this idea has remained relevant – even though officers and civil servants have been joined by representatives from the private sector and civil society, and even though the CHEDN, which became the IHEDN in 1948, is now attached to the Prime Minister's office rather than the Ministry of Defence. This affiliation is in line with the Constitution, which, in Article 21, gives the Prime Minister responsibility for national defence. It also underlines the desire to involve all the country's active forces in this effort, which, over the decades, has expanded to include various areas of training and expertise – the most recent being economic intelligence and cyber security.
THE ORIGINS OF THE IHEDN: A MEMO FROM CHARLES DE GAULLE
In addition to the political figures mentioned above, it is worth mentioning two military figures whose actions were decisive in the creation of the IHEDN.
The first was an officer destined to become a statesman. On 20 April 1931, Battalion Commander Charles de Gaulle was stationed in Beirut when he sent a note to his former commander, Marshal Philippe Pétain. This three-page text already contained the essence of what would become the IHEDN. In it, de Gaulle advocated a «new order of education» capable of «synthesising the constant data of the problem of warfare in order to provoke and guide everyone's thinking on the subject». For him, the objective was obvious:
«In this way, we will lay the foundations for a doctrine of national defence among those who, through their duties or their positions outside the army, or within the army, are likely to spread it or have to apply it.»
This note by Charles de Gaulle is now considered to be the first blueprint for the IHEDN as it still exists today: a place where a shared understanding of the world of yesterday and today is developed in order to better prepare for tomorrow. In short: a powerful tool for resilience.
The second promoter of the Institute was Vice-Admiral Raoul Castex, its first director from 1936 to 1939, who argued to his superiors and the government that this institution needed to be established in order to bring together military and civilian personnel around the issue of national defence.
Since then, the IHEDN tool, conceived almost a century ago, has always been able to adapt to the times and challenges of these many decades. In 2026, the 90-year-old Institute is, more than ever, a vehicle for national cohesion, a privileged space for nurturing strategic thinking, developing a spirit of defence and strengthening the nation's resilience.
MUCH MORE THAN JUST AN INSTITUTE, A COMMITTED FAMILY
This mission, in its various dimensions, cannot be undertaken by the Institute alone. It requires the commitment of a larger number of people. Our entire community supports us in this: the auditors when they join the sessions, but above all when they then become involved in auditor associations or various structures to spread this spirit of defence, in relation to other components of society.
In this regard, 2025 was a year of development, high standards and innovation, marked by remarkable momentum thanks to the commitment of the entire community, the Institute's teams and our institutional, academic, economic and associative partners.
The year 2025 saw the training programme strengthened and its quality even more widely recognised thanks to the following achievements:
- The organisation of the first regional sessions and Youth cycles in close partnership with regional auditor associations;
- The first joint Youth – Economic Intelligence cycle, a genuine bridge between two cultures that are essential to the nation;
- The first Youth Cycle, co-organised with the Institute of Higher Studies of the Ministry of the Interior (IHEMI), which symbolically demonstrates the link between defence and security;
- Debates, symposiums and conferences organised to understand, reflect on and support strategic thinking;
- Numerous news items and in-depth articles aimed at the general public and shared on our social media channels, read by over 100,000 followers – with some articles even reaching 200,000 readers.
By 2025, through its training courses and various events, IHEDN will have directly raised awareness among more than 7,000 people, both within France and beyond its borders.
This year was finally marked by the award of Qualiopi and France Compétences certifications for all of our training courses (national sessions, regional sessions, youth courses and economic intelligence courses) aimed at the French public. This official recognition is testament to the rigour of our teaching processes and our ongoing commitment to excellence.
AN INSTITUTE BEYOND THE BORDERS OF FRANCE
The IHEDN, built on its two pillars of defence and diplomacy, has always welcomed numerous international partners. As such, our many international sessions provide opportunities for information, exchange and debate that are greatly appreciated by our partners, who praise the quality of the welcome, the seriousness of the programme and the diversity of the topics presented.
But IHEDN also has its sights set on overseas territories. In 2025, the Institute strengthened its partnership with the Overseas Territories Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior. Thanks to this structural cooperation, IHEDN is deepening its involvement in overseas issues that are essential to our sovereignty and national resilience. This involvement takes the form of welcoming around ten overseas students to the national session, who masterfully navigate time zones to follow the major Maritime Issues and Strategy course with a few adjustments. In addition, each year the IHEDN organises a regional session and a youth cycle overseas. Réunion benefited from this in 2025, and the Antilles have been chosen for 2026.
2026, A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER
In 2026, IHEDN will continue to fully fulfil its mission and improve its achievements. To celebrate the long history of our work and better project it into the future, I wanted to make this year a year of resilience.
The spirit of defence, at the heart of our DNA, will continue to spread through:
- The quality, number and diversity of our training courses;
- Greater involvement in organising the Paris Defence and Strategy Forum (PDSF), which attracts increasing numbers of French and international visitors each year;
- Enhanced communication via our social media channels, online publications and editorial content, which are attracting ever-increasing numbers of followers.
And, as you now understand, 2026 will also be an exceptional year because of our anniversary. Throughout the year, numerous initiatives, publications, testimonials and events will highlight the many facets of our Institute, its heritage and its future.
An exceptional history, shaped by commitment, ideas, transformations and the men and women who helped forge the French defence ethos. This history compels us and drives us in our constant efforts to adapt to the challenges of the contemporary world and the future.
Stay connected throughout this year, which promises to be rich, intense and inspiring!
On behalf of the entire Institute for Higher National Defence Studies, I am particularly pleased to extend my warmest wishes to you. May this year bring you health, commitment and, above all, a deep sense of optimism for the future that we must build together.
Lieutenant General Hervé de Courrèges
Director of IHEDN and Higher Military Education
President of the Defence Academy of’Military academy (ACADEM)
On this occasion, we are pleased to present our IHEDN presentation video.
An immersion into the heart of the Institute and its mission to raise awareness of national defence.
