long cycles in economic and strategic intelligence
To find out more about the challenges of economic and digital sovereignty.
The Economic and Strategic Intelligence (IES) cycles enable auditors to understand and then design a global economic intelligence approach based on an organisation's internal resources.
They are designed to equip auditors with the skills needed to identify and exploit strategic information to enhance their organisation's competitiveness and security. They benefit from the participation of government departments involved in economic security and cybersecurity issues.
Objectives and interests
Session objectives
- Understanding the architecture of economic security in France ;
- Raising awareness to the challenges of economic and digital sovereignty ;
- Acquire methods and tools for implementing a business intelligence approach within an organisation ;
- Better understand the different levers for action in business intelligence ;
- Develop a national platform for reflection on cross-disciplinary issues covering all areas of business intelligence.
Session interests
An IES course provides an in-depth understanding of the challenges of economic confrontation in a hyper-competitive world.
It brings together a wide range of players in the fields of economic intelligence and economic security, and is designed to enable auditors to understand and implement an economic intelligence approach, drawing in particular on an organisation's internal resources.
Organisation
The IES cycles take place over 7 days, from Tuesday to the following Wednesday, representing 49 hours of training.
pedagogical format
" Control, analyse and dominate "
The educational triptych :
The pedagogy of an IES cycle is based on a triptych the link between theory and practice, while respecting the principles of the Rule of Chatham House :
- Lecture-debates providing elements for analysis, discussion and understanding of the subjects covered;
- Committee work dynamics around a sector or a disruptive technology enabling the implementation of an offensive EI approach;
- Visits industrial or research sites
IES cycle modules :
The IES cycles are divided into 5 modules (one per day, subject to diary constraints), providing an overall understanding of the challenges of business intelligence and its various levers. Each cycle is built around a topical theme, chosen as a common thread to illustrate the concepts covered during the course and put the business intelligence methodology into practice. Although the sectors studied vary (semi-conductors, undersea cables, digital encryption, etc.), the approach remains the same: a core of lectures common to all cycles, supplemented by visits and study assignments tailored to illustrate the diversity of possible applications.
Introduction to EI and economic security :
Introduction to EI and presentation of the economic security architecture in France.
Monitoring and OSINT :
A practical module designed to provide auditors with practical tools for setting up a monitoring approach and raising awareness of OSINT tools.
Cybersecurity and digital sovereignty :
Mapping cybersecurity and cybercrime risks. Presentation of the State's actions in the digital sector and introduction to the legal challenges of digital technology.
International ethics, compliance and risk management :
Raising awareness of the concept of legal intelligence and extraterritoriality and presentation of the French anti-corruption system.
Influence and lobbying/public relations :
Introduction to the issues of influence and hybrid warfare. Presentation of influence strategies and the practice of public relations.
becoming an auditor
► Target group
This course is only open to French citizens. Executives from the public or private sector, of French nationality, who are currently working or planning to change careers:
- company directors, managers and executives and representatives of the various professional sectors;
- liberal professions ;
- senior civil servants and military officers, managers and heads of public sector departments ;
- teachers, academics and think tank experts;
- elected representatives ;
- Influencer managers, journalists ;
- people who are looking for a job, undergoing professional retraining or in the process of moving up to senior management positions.
The course is accessible to people with disabilities, subject to the requirements of the teaching activities. The IHEDN disability correspondent can be contacted at : Correspondant.Handicap@ihedn.fr
IHEDN auditor status is awarded by decision of the IHEDN Director on completion of the course.
► Number of places
Each cycle is open to a maximum of 50 students.
► Apply
There are no prerequisites, apart from a strong motivation for national defence issues and compliance with the following conditions:
- register on the website and submit an application in the required digital format before the closing date for registration set for each session;
- only complete applications will be examined.
► Selection criteria
The main criteria used to select candidates are as follows:
- Professional background and experience ;
- a proven interest in defence and security issues, particularly in terms of economic and digital sovereignty;
- the ability to interact and integrate.
The tariff is subject to change by the Board of Directors.
The choice of rate is declarative (and validated by the IHEDN when the application is examined).
For each session in the French Overseas Territories, the Board of Directors votes on a price adapted to the realities of the territory.
Information about using the Personal Training Account (CPF) :
All long courses in economic and strategic intelligence are eligible for the CPF. Each course is open to " mytrainingaccount " withinone month before the start of the course.
Auditors wishing to use their CPF are invited to prepare their account and their application, but to submit their request only once their application has been accepted and in accordance with the instructions given to them by the IHEDN.
With effect from 24 February 2026, there will be a ceiling of €1,500 on the amount that can be spent from the personal training account (CPF) on IHEDN courses. Consequently, candidates wishing to use their CPF to finance a course in economic intelligence at the IHEDN are advised to bear in mind that any difference between the cost of the course and this ceiling may remain at their expense or be the subject of additional financing by their employer.
► Auditor satisfaction rate
At the end of the course, students will be asked to complete a satisfaction questionnaire. For all IES cycles organised between October 2024 and June 2025, 95 % auditors were satisfied with the training.
training assessment and skills certification
► To obtain certification of competence
The Economic and Strategic Intelligence cycles prepare auditors who wish to do so for the certification of competence entitled "Designing and implementing an economic intelligence strategy", and registered in the Specific France Compétences directory under number RS 7147 since 30 April 2025.
Certification of competence is based on two assessment methods:
- A summary
- An operational recommendation note
The work must be submitted within 15 calendar days of the last day of the cycle.
The two deliverables must be sent by the deadlines and in accordance with the procedures indicated during the course. It will not be possible to make up or partially validate skills.
The jury awarding certification meets twice a year. Each candidate is informed personally, by electronic means, of the outcome of the jury's deliberations, within a maximum of 10 working days after the jury has met.
► To qualify as an auditor
Three assessment methods:
- a collective report ;
- an oral presentation of the report;
- an assessment of the knowledge acquired at the conferences, in the form of a multiple-choice questionnaire.
Upcoming cycles
Cycles 2026
92e IES cycle
École militaire, Paris
From 14 to 22 April 2026.
Register before 13 March 2026.
93e IES cycle
Toulouse
From 26 May to 3 June 2026.
Register before 4 May 2026.
94e IES cycle
École militaire, Paris
From 6 to 14 October 2026.
Register before 4 September 2026.
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