Centre Thucydide

What Centre Thucydide does

Centre Thucydide is an academic research center founded in 1999 at Université Paris-Panthéon-Assas (Paris, France) by Serge Sur and Jean-Jacques Roche, specializing in international relations across legal, political, strategic, economic, cultural, and technological dimensions. Its core products are scholarly publications and educational programs, including the annual journal L'Année des Relations internationales (formerly AFRI / Annuaire français de relations internationales), the Les Cahiers Thucydide research series, the discontinued ThucyBlog (286 posts over five years), and the Clinique de Droit International d'Assas (CDIA) student clinic. The center delivers Master's degrees in International Relations (with three specializations: Political International Studies, Strategic Studies, Defense and Industrial Dynamics) and Human Rights and International Justice, a Diplôme d'Université in Asylum Law, doctoral supervision, and a summer school program. It also awards the Prix Albert Thibaudet for outstanding international relations scholarship.

The center operates an event-driven and community-led go-to-market model, reaching its audience through academic conferences (Journées des études stratégiques, Journées de la Justice pénale internationale, Paroles de diplomates), university-hosted study days, and bilingual (French/English) digital channels (website, LinkedIn, X, YouTube). It has no commercial revenue stream: pricing models are empty, internships are unpaid, and events are free or low-cost. The business model is institutional: Université Paris-Panthéon-Assas provides administrative infrastructure, while the AFRI journal is co-financed by the CAPS (Centre d'analyse et de planification stratégique of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs) and the DGRIS (Direction générale des relations internationales et de la stratégie of the French Ministry of the Armed Forces). The center is co-directed by Julian Fernandez and Jean-Vincent Holeindre, with Serge Sur presiding over the Conseil d'orientation.

Name

Centre Thucydide

Legal name

Centre Thucydide

Website

https://afri-ct.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Research Center

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

akta.pro primary industry

Management Research Institutes & Doctoral (PhD/DBA) Programs (EDAHAHAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Global Health Institutes & Programs (EDAHAGAM), Biomedical Sciences & Medical Research Institutes (University-Based) (EDAHAGAI)

Keywords

• International relations research
• Academic journal publishing
• Graduate degree programs
• Doctoral research supervision
• Scholarly conferences

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. University funding and institutional support: Centre Thucydide operates as a research center within Université Paris-Panthéon-Assas. The center receives institutional support from the university, as well as from the CAPS (Centre d'analyse et de planification stratégique) of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and the DGRIS (Direction générale des relations internationales et de la stratégie) of the French Ministry of the Armed Forces. These government ministries co-finance the AFRI publication.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Centre Thucydide is an academic research center in international relations hosted by Université Paris-Panthéon-Assas. It delivers graduate academic programs (Master's in International Relations, Master's in Human Rights and International Justice, a University Diploma in Asylum Law, and summer schools), publishes scholarly journals (L'Année des Relations internationales / AFRI and Les Cahiers Thucydide), runs the Clinique de Droit International d'Assas (CDIA) clinical program for M2 students, and organizes scientific conferences, study days, and the Prix Albert Thibaudet academic prize.

Product overview

Centre Thucydide is a research center in international relations at Université Paris-Panthéon-Assas (France), established in 1999. The center operates as a platform for academic research, publications, and education in international relations. Its core product portfolio includes the annual journal L'Annuaire français de relations internationales (AFRI), the ThucyBlog (now discontinued after 286 posts), Les Cahiers Thucydide publications, and the Clinique de Droit International d'Assas (CDIA) student clinic. The center also delivers educational programs including a Master in International Relations with three specializations (Political International, Strategic Studies, Defense and Industrial Dynamics), a Master in Human Rights and International Justice, a University Diploma in Asylum Law, and summer school programs. Additionally, the center awards the Prix Albert Thibaudet for outstanding academic contributions to international relations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• L'Annee des Relations internationales: Annual francophone journal on international relations published by Centre Thucydide and Editions Panthéon-Assas
• Clinique de Droit International d'Assas (CDIA)
• ThucyBlog
• ThucyDoc

Products and services

• L'Année des Relations internationales (formerly Annuaire français de relations internationales, AFRI) Annual Francophone academic journal published by Éditions Panthéon-Assas and co-financed by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (CAPS) and the Ministry of the Armed Forces (DGRIS). Covers all dimensions of international relations — legal, political, strategic, economic, cultural, and technological — and is directed by Professors Julian Fernandez and Jean-Vincent Holeindre.
• Les Cahiers Thucydide Publication series within Centre Thucydide covering research outputs and scholarly contributions in international relations.
• Clinique de Droit International d'Assas (CDIA) Student clinic program offering Master 2 students practical experience through projects with partner organizations across three poles: Humanitarian Law, Criminal Affairs, and Human Rights.
• Master mention Relations internationales Master's degree program in international relations with three specializations: International Politics, Strategic Studies, and Defense and Industrial Dynamics. Offered by Université Paris-Panthéon-Assas.
• Master 1 & 2 Droits de l'homme et Justice internationale Master's degree program (M1 and M2) focusing on human rights and international justice, offered by Centre Thucydide at Université Paris-Panthéon-Assas.
• Diplôme d'Université Droit de l'asile University diploma program in asylum law offered by Centre Thucydide.
• École d'été Summer school program offered by Centre Thucydide for students and researchers in international relations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 286 academic blog posts published over 5 years by doctoral students and young researchers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• GSÜ SAM - Centre de recherche stratégique de l'Université Galatasaray (Turkey)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 October 2025Centre Thucydide partnered with the Strategic Research Center of Galatasaray University to organize a study day on 'La Mer Noire : enjeux stratégiques et juridiques' (The Black Sea: Strategic and Legal Challenges) on October 21, 2025.
• AFNU - Association Française pour les Nations UniescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 October 2025Centre Thucydide and AFNU co-organize the 'Paroles de diplomates' conference cycle, which features testimony from French diplomats on major international questions involving the United Nations. This partnership provides a platform for diplomatic insight sharing.
• Cliniques du Forum Kalshoven-Gieskes (Leiden Law School, Netherlands)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2019The Clinique de Droit International d'Assas (CDIA) was inspired by the Kalshoven-Gieskes Clinics on International Law at Leiden Law School. This served as a model for the student clinical program at Centre Thucydide.
• Clinique de Droit International de Sorbonne (Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, France)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2019The Clinique de Droit International d'Assas (CDIA) was also inspired by the international law clinic at Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne. This served as an additional model for the student clinical program at Centre Thucydide.
• Université Paris-Panthéon-AssascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentre Thucydide is an integral part of Université Paris-Panthéon-Assas, France's leading law university. The university provides the center's physical infrastructure, administrative support, and academic framework. The center is closely integrated with the university's political science and international relations departments.
• CAPS - Centre d'analyse et de planification stratégique (Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, France)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CAPS of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs co-finances the AFRI publication and provides institutional support to the center. This partnership reflects the center's role in contributing to French foreign policy research and analysis.
• DGRIS - Direction générale des relations internationales et de la stratégie (Ministry of the Armed Forces, France)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe DGRIS of the French Ministry of the Armed Forces co-finances the AFRI publication and supports the center's research activities, particularly in strategic studies and defense-related international relations topics.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI): Rome-based research institute on international relations and European policy, producing scholarly publications and engaging with government. Comparable European research center with similar mix of policy-oriented IR scholarship, publications, and event programming.
• Institut Français des Relations Internationales (IFRI): France's leading independent research center on international relations and strategy, headquartered in Paris. Most directly comparable to Centre Thucydide as a Francophone IR research institution with government-facing policy work, publications, and events.
• Centre de Recherches Internationales (CERI) – Sciences Po: Sciences Po's research center dedicated to international relations, covering political, strategic, and regional studies. Directly comparable as a Paris-based university-affiliated IR research and teaching platform with overlapping publication series and doctoral training.
• Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique (FRS): French research foundation dedicated to strategic studies and defense policy. Comparable French peer specifically focused on the strategic studies/dimension of international relations, sharing government-facing research and publication activity with Centre Thucydide.

Broad incumbents

• International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS): Global think tank headquartered in London focused on security and strategic studies. Comparable in combining scholarly IR/strategic research with publications (including annual reference works) and events, and in serving policy and government audiences internationally.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): Washington, DC-based policy research organization focused on international relations and security studies. Comparable in strategic/defense IR focus, government engagement, and scholarly publications, serving as a flagship US counterpart in the same thematic space as Centre Thucydide.
• Chatham House: Royal Institute of International Affairs in London, a globally prominent think tank focused on international relations research, publications, and convening. Comparable in research mandate, scholarly output, and convening role, though operating at substantially larger scale and geographic reach.
• Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) – German Institute for International and Security Affairs: Berlin-based policy institute advising the German government on international affairs and security. Comparable as a government-supported European think tank/research center combining IR scholarship, strategy studies, and policy advisory output for ministries.
• Brookings Institution: Major US-based policy research organization covering international relations, foreign policy, and economics. Comparable in mission and structure as a research center producing scholarship across IR themes with associated events and programs, though far larger in scale.

Regional players

• Fondation Robert Schuman: Paris-based think tank working on European and international affairs with a focus on French/European policy debate. Comparable as a French peer organization producing IR commentary and analysis, with overlapping event and publication activity but broader European-policy remit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AfriThucy
• YouTubeyoutube.com/centrethucydideParis2
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centrethucydide

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Centre Thucydide