Paris 8 University

What Paris 8 University does

Paris 8 University, legally Université Paris 8 Vincennes - Saint-Denis, is a public French higher education institution founded in 1969 as the Centre Universitaire de Vincennes and headquartered at 2 rue de la Liberté, 93526 Saint-Denis. It operates 11 Unités de Formation et de Recherche (UFR) covering arts, humanities, social sciences, law, and sciences, supplemented by 5 institutes including two Institut Universitaire de Technologie (IUT) campuses in Montreuil and Tremblay-en-France, the Institut d'Enseignement à Distance (IED) for remote programs, the Presses Universitaires de Vincennes (PUV) publishing house, and the MSH Paris Nord research center.

The institution enrolls approximately 23,000 students, distributed as 15,511 in licence-level programs, 5,895 in master programs, and 1,241 doctoral candidates, with 30% international students representing 157 nationalities — a defining "University-Monde" identity. Research activity is organized across 33 units including 9 Unités Mixtes de Recherche and 4 doctoral schools, with 4 European Research Council grants recently secured. Digital infrastructure comprises an Espace Numérique de Travail, the Octaviana digital library, PIX digital-skills certification, and a chatbot assistant launched in June 2025.

The business model follows the standard French public-university structure: it is state-funded through the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, supplemented by nationally regulated tuition fees and competitive research grants. For 2026-2027, differentiated tuition of €2,902 (licence/BUT) and €3,950 (master) applies to non-EU international students, with exemptions for those in financial difficulty. As an établissement public à caractère scientifique, culturel et professionnel under ministerial supervision, the institution does not publish commercial revenue and operates without shareholders, currently led by President Arnaud Laimé (elected May 2025) and Director General Nathalie Vincent.

Name

Paris 8 University

Legal name

Université Paris 8 Vincennes - Saint-Denis

Website

https://univ-paris8.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Paris 8 University is a public French higher education institution (Université Paris 8 Vincennes - Saint-Denis) founded 1969, headquartered in Saint-Denis, serving roughly 23,000 students across 11 faculties, 2 IUTs, and doctoral programs, with 30% international enrollment from 157 nationalities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)

Keywords

• Higher education programs
• Academic degree programs
• University research
• Distance learning
• Continuing education

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-denis

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Paris 8 University delivers undergraduate (licence, BUT/DUT), graduate (master), and doctoral degree programs across 11 UFRs spanning humanities, social sciences, arts, law, science and technology, plus continuing education and distance learning via the IED. The institution also operates an academic publishing house (Presses Universitaires de Vincennes), conducts research across 33 research units (including 9 joint research units and 4 doctoral schools), and supports students through its ENT digital workspace, Octaviana digital library, and student-facing chatbot.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Licence, Master, and Doctorate (LMD) degree programs State-recognized undergraduate (licence), graduate (master), and doctoral degree programs delivered across 11 UFRs and 4 doctoral schools, covering humanities, social sciences, arts, law, science, and technology; the core academic offering for the university's ~23,000 students.
• IUT de Montreuil - BUT programs University-level technology institute located in Montreuil offering BUT (Bachelor universitaire de technologie) programs in Administration, Commerce, Management, and Information-Communication, targeting students seeking applied three-year technology degrees.
• IUT de Tremblay-en-France - BUT programs University-level technology institute located in Tremblay-en-France offering BUT programs in Industrial Engineering, Logistics, Business Administration, and related fields, for students seeking applied technology degrees.
• Institut d'Enseignement à Distance (IED) Distance learning institute offering complete Paris 8 university programs remotely in fields such as psychology, law, computer science, and education sciences, designed for students whose professional activities prevent in-person attendance.
• Continuing Education (Formation Continue) Professional development, degree completion, and Validation des Acquis de l'Expérience (VAE) programs for adults and enterprises, provided through Paris 8's continuing education service.
• Presses Universitaires de Vincennes (PUV) University press that publishes academic books and 8 specialized journals in disciplines including psychoanalysis, literature, geography, media studies, and arts, available to researchers, students, and the broader public.
• DU Universitas Special university diploma (Diplôme d'Université) launched in 2020 to combat first-year dropout rates affecting up to 30% of students, providing personalized support and adapted teaching for struggling or misoriented students.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 170 doctoral theses defended annually
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

AI capability4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ERUA (European Reform University Alliance)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParis 8 is a founding member of ERUA, a European university alliance focused on reform and innovation in higher education. ERUA provides mobility opportunities for students and staff, joint research initiatives, and collaborative academic programs across member institutions in Europe.
• Critical Edge AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational alliance of universities focused on acting in higher education facing climate change. Paris 8 hosted the international conference in 2022 on the theme of 'Acting in Higher Education面对气候变化'.
• Campus CondorcetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA major academic campus project bringing together multiple institutions in Aubervilliers. Paris 8 participates in this interdisciplinary research and teaching campus.
• UNESCO Chaire EVA (Éthique du Vivant et de l'Artificiel)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNESCO Chair on the Ethics of Living and Artificial Intelligence, hosted by Paris 8, inaugurated in October 2021. Focuses on research and collaboration on ethics of technology and life.
• Centre GEODE (Géopolitique de la Datasphère)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch center specializing in geopolitics of the datasphere. Received label 'Centres d'excellence Relations internationales et Stratégie' from the French Ministry of Armed Forces.
• Erasmus+ ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean mobility program providing study abroad opportunities for Paris 8 students. In 2025-2026, 46 students with fewer opportunities benefited from Erasmus+ mobility with additional financial support.
• AGILE (Higher Education Resilience in Refugee Crises)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean partnership coordinated by Paris 8 under the Erasmus+ programme, focused on higher education resilience during refugee crises.
• Atout Jeunes UniversitésminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAssociation celebrating its 10th anniversary at Paris 8 in 2022, facilitating graduate professional insertion and promoting diversity in large companies.
• EUR ArTeCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerÉcole Universitaire de Recherche focused on arts, technology, and digital creation. Provides structured doctoral programs in collaboration with partner institutions.
• MIAM! AnimationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnimation studio pioneering real-time 3D production, partnered with Paris 8's Arts and Image Technologies (ATI) department to launch a professional certification program in real-time 3D.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Sciences Po: Elite French institution specializing in social sciences, political science, and international relations. Overlaps with Paris 8 in social sciences and humanities but operates with much higher selectivity, central Paris location, and private-grant funding model — represents the prestige benchmark for Paris-based social science education.

Direct peers

• Sorbonne Université: Major French public research university formed from the merger of UPMC and Paris-Sorbonne. Comparable in scale and LMD offering, with stronger STEM and central Paris positioning. Sets the upper-bound benchmark for research intensity among Paris-region public universities.
• Université Paris-Saclay: Research-intensive public university cluster south of Paris. Comparable as a public research university with doctoral schools and UMRs, but more STEM-focused and more selective than Paris 8 — represents the dominant French competitor for research talent and funding.
• Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne: Major French public research university specializing in law, economics, and humanities. Comparable to Paris 8 in social sciences and humanities focus, public funding model, and LMD program structure, but with stronger prestige and more central Paris positioning.
• Université Paris Nanterre: Public French research university located in Nanterre (western Paris suburb). Closely comparable to Paris 8: suburban Paris location, similar founding-era identity, strong social sciences and humanities focus, comparable student population scale, and similar mission around access and non-selective recruitment.
• Université Paris Cité: Large public research university in Paris formed from the merger of Paris Descartes and Paris Diderot. Comparable scale (60,000+ students), comprehensive program offering across sciences and humanities, and public funding model — broader portfolio than Paris 8 but operates in the same higher education ecosystem.
• Université Gustave Eiffel: Public university formed in 2020 with campuses across the Paris region. Comparable as a recent institutional merger with public funding model and broad LMD offering, including strong engineering and urban studies — overlapping with Paris 8's urban planning and social sciences strengths.
• CY Cergy Paris Université: Public university in the greater Paris region (Cergy) formed in 2020. Comparable in suburban Paris setting, public funding model, and mixed social sciences/sciences portfolio, but with a newer institutional identity and smaller international footprint.

Regional players

• Université de Lille: Major French public research university outside Paris. Comparable in scale, comprehensive LMD offering, and public funding model, with similar emphasis on social sciences and humanities — but operates in a different regional market.

Emerging players

• Freie Universität Berlin: German public research university with strong humanities and social sciences profile, comparable founding-era identity (post-1968), and emphasis on critical/innovative disciplines. Comparable institutional profile and ERUA-alliance orientation, but operates in a different national higher education system.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@universite_paris8
• Facebookfacebook.com/Paris8
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/universit-paris-8-vincennes-saint-denis
• Instagraminstagram.com/univparis8
• Xx.com/UnivParis8

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Paris 8 University