Discover ICP

A unique and prestigious institution that is rich in history 

The Catholic University of Paris (Institut Catholique de Paris - ICP), was founded in 1875, but its roots go back to the Colleges of Humanities that were part of the medieval university and instrumental in spreading liberal arts education across Europe. ICP is a truly multifaceted institution defined by its catholic identity, its position as a research university, and its status as a private non-profit-organisation. Our university is organised into 6 faculties, which cover a wide range of disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. ICP’s main campus is located on the historical site of a former Carmelite convent in the Latin Quarter of Paris. We have recently opened two campuses in the Champagne and Normandy regions, which are situated in the heart of the thriving cities of Reims and Rouen, and which offer a rich historic atmosphere and a stunning architecture. These features make ICP a truly unique place in French higher education.
 

ICP is home to cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research that aims to understand and improve the human condition

We have a long-standing tradition of free inquiry, rigorous pursuit of truth and academic excellence in a number of fields, including philosophy, theology, law, political science, history, communication and literature, modern and ancient languages, and education. In addition, academic inquiry at ICP is a truly interdisciplinary endeavour and strives for societal relevance: our university offers a unique space for interdisciplinary dialogue between theology and the  human sciences, which explores the relationship between faith and reason in society. The university’s Research Centre for Religion, Culture and Society brings together academics from all faculties to work on research projects addressing societal challenges: the  research groups analyse the interrelation between social and ecological justice, study social policies and instruments designed to target vulnerable populations, explore the role of theology and philosophy in the re-humanisation of the materialised body, and analyse the effects of artificial intelligence on human cognition and decision-making. 

More recently, our university has pursued its mission of producing innovative and socially relevant research through the creation of two university chairs on Business and the Common Good and Digitalisation and Citizenship, which were founded in collaboration with two prestigious partner institutions (ESSEC Business School and the Paris Higher Institute of Electronics), and which bring together students, business leaders, data professionals and academics from different disciplines. The chairs offer innovative study programmes and produce research at the intersection of the humanities, management sciences and engineering sciences, which explores the notion of the common good and its relevance to the business world as well as the legal, ethical and anthropological consequences of the digitalisation of society. 

ICP has taken this research ambition one step further by creating the School of Health, which allows practitioners and academics from different institutions to study healthcare through the lens of approaches that span the entire spectrum of the humanities. 
 

ICP embodies an educational vision grounded in Christian humanism 

As a catholic university, ICP is deeply committed to the Christian humanist idea of educating the person as a whole. Our core ambition is to help each student carve out their own path to personal, professional and social excellence in order to engage with the world responsibly and creatively. 

This means that, although we strive to prepare our students for successful careers, we do not simply equip them with the technical knowledge to practice a profession. Rather, we seek to foster curious and educated minds, which embark on the never-ending quest for truth and which cultivate the intellectual tools necessary to innovate and reinvent the workplace in an ever complex and changing world.

This also means that we strive to foster the moral, spiritual and social growth of our students, which helps them become responsible persons who exercise sound judgment in a way that is attentive to the needs of society and human dignity. 

In addition, our commitment to “whole person education” leads us to put a strong emphasis on lifelong learning.