"War in Ukraine: one year on, what lessons can we learn?" This was the title of the conference organised on 16 February at the École Militaire by several organisations, including the IHEDN and the IRSEM. Opened by Lieutenant General Benoît DurieuxThierry Burkhard, Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces, brought together specialists from a wide range of civilian and military disciplines, researchers, doctors and officers from the three services, who shared their analyses of the lessons to be learned from the conflict.
Here is a selection of rich, dense materialHere are some of the key points raised by five speakers over the course of the day.
The three Baltic states in the world of 2026: a European perspective, new threats and global defence
As the NATO summit gets underway in Ankara, the École Militaire has brought together the ambassadors of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to France to discuss the major security challenges facing Europe’s eastern flank. In the face of Russian aggression in Ukraine and shifts in transatlantic relations, Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius are establishing themselves as testing grounds for a model of sovereign resilience and a highly integrated «comprehensive defence».
Mathilde Velliet: «The very forces that were driving the United States towards openness are now pushing it towards isolation»
Mathilde Velliet, a researcher at IFRI and winner of the 2026 IHEDN thesis prize, shows how, in the field of strategic technologies, the United States has resolved its dilemma between prosperity and security in relation to China. Increasingly, from Obama to Trump, as one senior official put it to her, «we all started out as doves and ended up as hawks». Interview.
Opening of the 37e European Session of Senior Armament Officials (SERA)
La 37e The European Session of Senior Armaments Officials (SERA37) kicked off on Monday 2 March, with a first week organised in France and Brussels, launching this session which aims to strengthen joint reflection on the industrial, capability and technological challenges facing European defence.
14 July 2026: a symbol of unity and a showcase for Europe’s strategic reawakening
With this year’s National Day parade centred on the continent’s strategic autonomy, the event will highlight the national security continuum, as well as the flags of the European Union, NATO and the forty or so countries participating in the Coalition of the Willing for Ukraine. Here is a detailed overview.
The Treaty of Barcelona: the Franco-Spanish axis at the heart of European sovereignty
IHEDN Mondays are now available as audio files! Click below to listen: 00:00 / 00:00 Summer feature: «Athena in
IHEDN launches renovation of its Lacoste lecture theatre
As part of the refurbishment of its Lacoste lecture theatre, the IHEDN has published a call for tenders on the government procurement platform for a contract covering clearance works and the provision of site facilities (deadline for submission: 30 June at 12.00).
See the list of students for the 2026–2027 national session
The Order of 29 June 2026 issued by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu appointing the examiners for the 6th national session of the Institut des hautes études de
Conveying the nobility of the humble: each IHEDN intake is under the patronage of a Companion of the Liberation.
In order to continue its mission and pass on the spirit of commitment and defence to the generations of decision-makers of today and tomorrow, the IHEDN now names its regional sessions and specialised courses after a Companion of the Liberation or a Recipient of the Resistance Medal.
The curtain falls on the 252e session in the Corsica region!
From 1er As of 19 June, 44 trainees had gathered in Corsica and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region for three weeks of training comprising strategic immersion, high-level discussions and field visits.
End of the 5the National session: identifying strategic opportunities in global crises
On 12 June 2026, the 5the The national session marked the end of its training year. As the culmination of this intensive year of training, the closing day showcased the wealth of insights from the participants through four round-table discussions.
