ICES (Catholic Institute of Higher Education)

What ICES (Catholic Institute of Higher Education) does

ICES (Institut Catholique de Vendée) is a private Catholic higher education institution founded in 1994 and headquartered on a 20,000 m² campus in central La Roche-sur-Yon, Vendée, France. The institution delivers state-recognized national diplomas (Licence, Master, Licence Professionnelle, DCG) across eleven disciplines spanning law, economics and management, history, political science, literature, languages, mathematics, physics-chemistry, life sciences, and health sciences, supplemented by Double Diplomas, Diplômes Universitaires (DU), Specialized Masters (Mastère Spécialisé via CGE), and certificates. It operates a hybrid university-school model with small class sizes, supported by 850 teaching researchers serving approximately 2,200 students, and reports a Licence success rate above 80% and a 90% professional integration rate within six months of graduation.

The business model rests on four revenue streams: recurring student tuition/registration fees, continuing professional training (Formation continue) delivered through the Pôle Entreprises, apprenticeship tax (taxe d'apprentissage) from sponsoring companies for ~180 alternation students, and research grants including support for the Chaire Indépendance stratégique. Distribution is direct-to-consumer, routed through the French national Parcoursup platform, on-campus Open Days, high school outreach (Special Lycéens), and a student ambassador corps (Team Prospection). The institution is governed by a non-profit foundation structure (Fonds de dotation de l'ICES / OGICES), is a member of the Conférence des Grandes Écoles, holds EESPIG and Qualiopi certifications, and maintains a structured ecosystem of approximately 50 student associations, an alumni network of ~10,000 graduates (AlumnICES), and international partnerships with 150+ universities across Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Oceania via Erasmus+ and bilateral agreements.

Name

ICES (Catholic Institute of Higher Education)

Legal name

ICES - Institut Catholique de Vendée

Website

https://ices.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ICES (Institut Catholique de Vendée) is a private Catholic higher education institution in La Roche-sur-Yon, France, delivering state-recognized Licence, Master, and specialized diplomas across 11 disciplines to ~2,200 students, supported by 850 teaching researchers and 150+ international university partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

La Roche-sur-Yon

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and registration fees: ICES generates revenue through student tuition fees and registration costs, which are deducted from the overall cost of education. Students pay annual registration fees as part of the enrollment process.
2. Professional training services (Formation continue): ICES offers continuing education programs through its Poles Enterprises, providing professional training services to businesses and organizations in the Vendée region.
3. Apprenticeship tax (Taxe d'apprentissage): Companies contribute to ICES through apprenticeship tax payments, supporting the professionalization of students through alternation programs.
4. Research funding and grants: ICES receives institutional funding and grants for research activities, including support for the Indépendance stratégique chair and doctoral programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ICES (Institut Catholique de Vendée) is a private Catholic higher education institution that delivers state-recognized national diplomas (Licence, Master, Licence Professionnelle, DCG) across 11 disciplines including law, economics and management, history, political science, literature, languages, mathematics, physics, life sciences, and health sciences. The institution operates on a hybrid university-school model that combines academic rigor with personalized support, small class sizes, and a Catholic identity. It also offers continuing professional education through its Pôle Entreprises and runs international student exchanges with over 150 partner universities worldwide.

Product overview

ICES (Institut Catholique de Vendée) is a private Catholic higher education institution located in La Roche-sur-Yon, Vendée, France. It is a member of the Conférence des Grandes Écoles and delivers state-recognized diplomas (Licence and Master) across eleven disciplines including law, economics and management, history, political science, literature, foreign languages (English and Spanish), mathematics, physics-chemistry, life sciences, health sciences, and preparation for the DCG (Diplôme de Comptabilité et Gestion). The institution operates on a university-school hybrid model combining academic rigor with personalized support, small class sizes, and strong international partnerships with over 150 partner universities worldwide. ICES also offers continuing education programs through its Pôle Entreprises, a research center (CRICES), and alumni network (AlumnICES) with approximately 10,000 members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Licence Programs (Bachelor's Degrees) Three-year state-recognized undergraduate degree programs (Licence) across disciplines such as Law, Economics and Management, History, Political Science, Letters, Languages (English/Spanish), Mathematics, Physics, Life Sciences, and Health Sciences, designed for high school graduates pursuing higher education.
• Master Programs (Graduate Degrees)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80% success rate in Licence programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, moderate and minor.

• City of La Roche-sur-YoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government of La Roche-sur-Yon, the capital of Vendée department. Partnership supports local higher education access and student life in the city. City provides ongoing institutional support and collaboration.
• Vendée DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDepartmental council of Vendée providing regional support and funding. Co-founder of Centre Vendéen de Recherches Historiques (CVRH) and supporter of various academic initiatives.
• Pays de la Loire RegioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional council providing funding and support for the CVRH research center and student mobility programs including Envoléo scholarship grants for international study.
• Sorbonne UniversitémajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestigious Parisian university partner in the CVRH research consortium, providing academic collaboration in historical research and doctoral programs.
• Société d'émulation de la VendéemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical society partner in organizing the Colloque du CVRH and other academic events focused on Vendée history and heritage preservation.
• IPC Paris (Institut Catholique de Paris)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerFellow Catholic institute of higher education in Paris, part of the national network of Catholic universities in France.
• Fondation NapoléonmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical foundation supporting academic research, including the Napoléon Chair at ICES focusing on historical studies.
• Erasmus+ ProgramcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEuropean Union education program enabling student and staff mobility. ICES collaborates with over 100 European universities through Erasmus+ bilateral agreements.
• 150+ Partner Universities WorldwidecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational exchange partnerships across Europe, Americas, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Includes universities in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, UK, USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, and more.
• Centre Vendéen de Recherches Historiques (CVRH)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch consortium founded in 1994 including Vendée Department, Pays de la Loire Region, Sorbonne Université, Société d'émulation de la Vendée. Organizes academic colloquia and publishes historical research on Vendée.
• Vendée Histoire PatrimoinemoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional heritage organization partner in the CVRH consortium, contributing to preservation and study of Vendée's historical and cultural heritage.
• Vendée International AssociationmoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerAssociation of Vendée companies developing international activities. Partnership supports international student placements and career opportunities in globally-oriented local businesses.
• International Ouest ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness network of companies engaged in international trade in the Pays de la Loire region, supporting connections between ICES students and internationally-oriented enterprises.
• Puy du FoumoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor cultural attraction park collaborating on the 'Devenez Créateur' summer university program focused on cultural and spiritual creativity for youth aged 18-25.
• Fédération Française du Sport Universitaire (FFSU)moderateChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFrench university sports federation enabling competitive sports participation. ICES AS (Association Sportive) affiliated with FFSU for inter-university competitions in rugby, badminton, tennis, basketball, football, futsal, volleyball and more.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Regional players

• Université de La Rochelle: Public university in coastal western France offering multi-disciplinary programs. Competes with ICES for western France students but operates as a free public institution without the Catholic values-based positioning that differentiates ICES.
• Nantes Université: Public university located in Nantes, the largest academic center near ICES's Vendée catchment area. Competes for the same regional pool of baccalaureate graduates but as a tuition-free public institution with much broader scale and research profile.

Broad incumbents

• IESEG School of Management: Catholic-affiliated private Grande École within Université Catholique de Lille offering business and management programs with CGE accreditation. Comparable as a Catholic-rooted private institution in the French higher education ecosystem, though focused on management rather than broad academic disciplines.
• EDHEC Business School: Major Catholic-affiliated private Grande École in northern France with CGE membership and a broader program portfolio. Comparable as an established Catholic private institution with strong corporate ties, but significantly larger in scale and reputation.
• ESSCA School of Management: Catholic-affiliated private business school with CGE membership delivering Bachelor through Master programs. Comparable as a Catholic-rooted private institution with alternation programs and Pôle Entreprises-style corporate partnerships, but specialized in management rather than multi-disciplinary.

Direct peers

• Université Catholique de Lille: Catholic private university in northern France delivering state-recognized Licence, Master, and doctoral programs with EESPIG accreditation. Closely comparable by mission, accreditation profile, and broad multi-disciplinary scope.
• Université Catholique de l'Ouest (UCO): Sister Catholic private university in western France (Angers) operating a multi-campus model with similar state-recognized diplomas, EESPIG status, and Confédération des Grandes Écoles membership. Most directly comparable institution by structure, faith-based mission, and regional footprint.
• Institut Catholique de Toulouse: Catholic institute of higher education in Toulouse providing state-recognized diplomas across theology, philosophy, classics, and humanities. Closely aligned as a Catholic higher education institution of similar scale and EESPIG status.
• Institut Catholique de Paris (ICP): Fellow Catholic institute of higher education in Paris with EESPIG status and state-recognized diplomas across multiple disciplines. ICES is already a documented partner of ICP, and both share the Catholic university network identity serving similar student demographics.
• Université Catholique de Lyon (UCLy): Catholic private university in Lyon offering state-recognized programs in law, humanities, sciences, and theology with EESPIG designation. Comparable by faith-based identity, multi-disciplinary offering, and Confédération des Grandes Écoles membership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/ices-universite-catholique
• Instagraminstagram.com/ices_univcatho
• Xx.com/ices_univcatho
• Facebookfacebook.com/come-in-vend

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ICES (Catholic Institute of Higher Education)