Paris-Sorbonne University

What Paris-Sorbonne University does

Sorbonne Université is a French public research university (Établissement public à caractère scientifique, culturel et professionnel) under the supervision of the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, created in 2018 through the merger of Paris-Sorbonne (Paris IV), Pierre and Marie Curie University (Paris VI), and Paris Diderot University (Paris VII), with heritage tracing to the original Sorbonne College founded in 1257. The Faculty of Letters — the subject of this dataset — operates across 13 campuses and sites in the Paris region and serves approximately 25,000 students through 193 licence tracks, 192 master's tracks, 19 training and research units (UFRs), and 7 doctoral schools (ED 019, 020, 022, 124, 188, 433, 434). Nathalie Drach-Temam serves as Présidente. The Faculty delivers its academic portfolio through specialized programs including 30+ double licence tracks, dual programs with Université Panthéon-Assas and Sciences Po Paris, and cotutelle international doctorates with the University of Bonn, University of Florence, and Ca' Foscari University of Venice.

The institution's product portfolio spans core degree programs (Licence, Master, Doctorat), continuing education offerings (Diplômes d'Université, short professional courses, Validation des Acquis), lifelong learning programs (Université Inter-Âges, Summer and Winter University), and a MOOC catalog of six free online courses across philosophy, geography, theater, Christianity, literature, and music. Two wholly-owned internal schools — INSPÉ (teacher training) and CELSA (information and communication) — operate within the Faculty, alongside Sorbonne Université Presses (academic publishing) and the Sorbonne Université Abu Dhabi international branch campus. The technology infrastructure relies on administrative platforms: Drupal 10 CMS for the institutional website (lettres.sorbonne-universite.fr), the ADUM platform for doctoral program management, and IA Web/e-Candidat for administrative registration and application processing.

The revenue model is anchored on state funding from the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, supplemented by national tuition fees (regulated under French fee structures) and CVEC contributions. Secondary revenue streams include continuing professional education (funded via CPF, PTP, and employer sponsorship), international tuition from the Abu Dhabi branch and cotutelle doctorates, and revenue from Sorbonne Université Presses. Distribution occurs through the national Parcoursup undergraduate platform, the Mon Master graduate platform, in-person open days, and direct enrollment through the institutional website. Graduate outcomes data — 93% employment at 30 months, 84% management-level placement, 71% permanent contracts — are used in recruitment messaging.

Name

Paris-Sorbonne University

Legal name

Sorbonne Université

Website

https://lettres.sorbonne-universite.fr

Company type

Public

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Sorbonne Université is a French public research university, created in 2018 from the merger of Paris-Sorbonne, Paris VI, and Paris VII. Its Faculty of Letters serves 25,000 students across 13 Paris campuses, offering licence, master, and doctoral programs plus continuing education and MOOCs under French Ministry of Higher Education supervision.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary) (EDAHABAA), Teacher Training & Language Teaching Certifications (e.g., CELTA/DELTA) (EDAIAEAI), Education Research & Pedagogy Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAH)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Humanities university education
• Doctoral research programs
• Continuing professional education
• Foreign language instruction

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. State Funding: As a public French higher education institution, Sorbonne Université receives substantial government funding through the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, supplemented by student tuition contributions and CVEC fees.
2. Continuing Professional Education: The university generates revenue through professional development programs including University Diplomas (DU), short training courses, and national degree programs offered under continuing education arrangements. Revenue is generated through course fees paid by professionals or funded through CPF, PTP, or employer sponsorship.
3. International Programs: Sorbonne Université Abu Dhabi and international doctorate partnerships generate revenue through international student tuition and institutional partnerships.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Paris-Sorbonne University delivers higher education and research services through the Faculty of Letters at Sorbonne Université, offering 193 undergraduate (Licence) tracks, 192 Master's tracks, and 7 doctoral schools across arts, humanities, languages, and social sciences. The portfolio is complemented by internal schools (CELSA for communication, INSPÉ for teacher training), continuing education programs, MOOCs, lifelong learning offerings (Université Inter-Âges, Summer/Winter University), and French language certifications for international learners.

Product overview

Sorbonne Université's Faculty of Letters operates as a comprehensive higher education platform offering a unified portfolio of programs across arts, humanities, languages, and social sciences. The core academic offerings consist of undergraduate (licence) and graduate (master) degree programs across 10 disciplines through 19 UFRs (training and research units), complemented by doctoral programs through 7 doctoral schools. The portfolio includes 193 bachelor's tracks and 192 master's tracks, with specialized sub-products including MOOCs (6 free online courses), continuing education offerings (university diplomas, short professional courses, professional training), and lifelong learning programs (Université Inter-Âges, Summer University, Winter University). Internal schools include CELSA (communication) and INSPÉ (teacher training), supported by Sorbonne Université Presses for academic publishing. Language education is delivered through SIAL and FLE programs with certification options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• INSPÉ: Institut national supérieur du professorat et de l'éducation - Teacher education institute
• CELSA
• Sorbonne Université Abu Dhabi
• Sorbonne Université Presses (SUP)
• Université Inter-Âges

Products and services

• Programmes de Licence (Undergraduate Programs) Undergraduate degree programs across arts, humanities, languages, and social sciences for prospective students entering through the Parcoursup platform.
• Programmes de Master (Graduate Programs) Graduate degree programs with 192 master's tracks covering advanced studies in arts, languages, literature, and social sciences for students admitted through the Mon Master platform.
• Doctorat (Doctoral Programs) Seven doctoral schools offering PhD programs in Ancient and Medieval Worlds, Modern and Contemporary History, French and Comparative Literature, Civilizations-Cultures-Literatures-Societies, Concepts and Languages, Art History and Archaeology, and Geography.
• CELSA (Sciences de l'Information et de la Communication) Internal school specializing in information and communication sciences, offering specialized programs in journalism, media, and corporate communication.
• INSPÉ (Institut National Supérieur du Professorat et de l'Éducation) Teacher training institute preparing students for teaching professions in primary and secondary education.
• MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) Free online courses covering philosophy, geography, theater, literature, and music of 17th-century France, available to the general public.
• Formation Professionnelle Continue (Continuing Professional Education) Professional development programs including national diplomas (Licence and Master) opened to professionals, available through CPF, PTP financing and various public/private sector funding mechanisms.
• Diplômes d'Université (University Diplomas) Long professional certification programs allowing specialization in specific domains such as geopolitics, languages, and other fields, delivering certifications from the Faculty of Letters.
• Stages Courts (Short Professional Courses) Variable-length intensive professional training courses aimed at developing specific competencies, available in hybrid formats combining in-person and distance learning.
• Validation des Acquis (VAE/VAPP) Recognition of prior learning programs allowing individuals to obtain degrees through Validation of Professional Experience (VAE) or Validation of Professional and Personal Acquisitions (VAPP).
• Université Inter-Âges Adult education program offering conference cycles in letters, civilizations, and humanities for adults seeking cultural enrichment and knowledge development.
• Université d'Été en Sorbonne (Sorbonne Summer University) Summer program offering multidisciplinary courses and French as a foreign language programs for international students and lifelong learners.
• Université d'Hiver en Sorbonne (Sorbonne Winter University) Winter program offering courses and French as a foreign language programs during the winter season.
• Français Langue Étrangère (FLE) Programs French as a foreign language courses and certifications including DELF-DALF, offered through the SELFEE-Sorbonne examination center.
• Sorbonne Université Presses (SUP) University press publishing academic works, research publications, and scholarly journals from the Faculty of Letters.
• Doctorats Internationaux (International Doctoral Programs) International co-tutelle doctoral programs with partner universities in Bonn, Florence, and Venice, covering European founding myths, Italian studies, and Renaissance humanism.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% employment rate at 30 months for master graduates
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of BonncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational doctoral co-diplomation partnership focusing on 'Mythes fondateurs européens dans les arts et la littérature' (Founding Myths of Europe in Arts and Literature) and 'Doctorat international d'Études italiennes' (International Doctorate in Italian Studies). Jointly coordinates doctoral training and thesis supervision between institutions.
• University of Florence (Università degli Studi di Firenze)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-diplomation partnership covering Humanisme et renaissance (Humanism and Renaissance) doctoral program, International Doctorate in Italian Studies, and founding myths of Europe research. Enables joint thesis direction and double doctoral degrees.
• Ca' Foscari University of VenicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint doctoral program with ED IV covering Romance and English-speaking cultures, Germanic and Slavic studies, literature, linguistics, and civilization. Connects School of Languages with Venice programs in lingue, culture e società moderne e Scienze del linguaggio.
• Institut Franco-Chinois de RenminminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership facilitating student exchange and academic collaboration with Renmin University of China.
• Université Panthéon-AssasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for double-degree programs including Philosophie-Sciences Sociales and Histoire de l'art et Droit double-cursus combinations.
• Sciences Po ParisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for double-cursus programs enabling students to obtain dual degrees in law-related fields.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Université de Strasbourg: Large French public research university with broad humanities, languages, and social sciences offerings. Comparable institutional scale and public-university constraints; competes for the same international student market outside Paris.
• Université Lumière Lyon 2: Major French public university with strong humanities, languages, and social sciences programs outside Paris. Comparable in scale and program mix to Sorbonne's Faculty of Letters but serves a different regional catchments; competes for top provincial applicants.

Direct peers

• École Normale Supérieure (ENS) PSL: Elite French grande école with deep humanities and social sciences tradition. Competes directly for top French and international students in philosophy, literature, history, and classics, sharing Sorbonne's research-intensive humanities profile.
• University of Bonn (Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn): German public research university with strong humanities and philosophy programs. Active Sorbonne co-diplomation partner on European founding myths and Italian studies doctorates, evidencing tightly comparable research and doctoral offerings.
• Ca' Foscari University of Venice: Italian public university strong in languages, literature, and humanities. Already a Sorbonne doctoral co-diplomation partner, reflecting overlapping programs (Romance/English/Germanic studies, linguistics, literature) and a closely comparable humanities profile.
• Sciences Po Paris: Elite French institution focused on social sciences, political science, law, and humanities. Operates as a direct peer for social-science candidates and already maintains dual-degree partnerships with Sorbonne Université, indicating tight market overlap.
• Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne: Direct Parisian peer specializing in law, humanities, and social sciences. Splits the legacy Sorbonne footprint, competes for the same humanities/law applicants, and is already a double-degree partner — making it the closest functional substitute for Sorbonne Université's Faculty of Letters.
• Université Paris Nanterre (Paris 10): Major Paris-region public university with strong programs in humanities, languages, sociology, philosophy, and history. Serves overlapping student demographics and competes for the same Parcoursup/Mon Master applicant pools.

Others

• Sorbonne Université Presses (SUP): Wholly-owned university press publishing humanities and social-science scholarship. Listed as an internal/ecosystem actor rather than a true competitor; included to flag adjacent publishing infrastructure within the institution.

Broad incumbents

• King's College London: Major UK research university with extensive humanities, languages, and social sciences faculties. Comparable in humanities scale and international profile but operates under UK tuition/regulatory framework; competes for international humanities students globally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Paris_Sorbonne
• YouTubeyoutube.com/FacultédesLettresdeSorbonneUniversité
• Facebookfacebook.com/Universite.Paris.Sorbonne
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/school
• Instagraminstagram.com/lettres_sorbonne

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries4 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-Sorbonne University