Institut français du Proche-Orient

Name

Institut français du Proche-Orient

Legal name

Institut français du Proche-Orient

Website

https://ifporient.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanities and Social Sciences Research Institute

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Educational Services (611)

akta.pro primary industry

Grammar, Vocabulary & Pronunciation Materials (EDAGAHAB)

Keywords

• Humanities research institute
• Arabic language teaching
• Academic publishing
• Archaeological fieldwork
• Near eastern studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Beirut

HQ country

Lebanon

HQ region

Middle East

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. French Government Funding (MEAE/CNRS): IFPO is a UMIFRE 6 (UAR 3135) jointly funded by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE) and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), forming its core operating budget.
2. Arabic Language Course Fees: Tuition fees charged for intensive Arabic courses (1400 euros per session), annual programs (2700-5200 euros depending on formula and duration), and optional specialized courses (100 euros per 16-hour session). These fees cover instruction costs at locations in Beirut and Amman.
3. Research Grants and ANR/ERC Funding: Individual and collective research projects attract external funding from French (ANR), European (ERC), and international sources, supporting specific research programs, doctoral contracts, and mobility aids.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Institut français du Proche-Orient (Ifpo) is a French public research institute that conducts humanities and social sciences research on the Near East through three departments (DAHA, DEAMM, DEC), delivers structured Arabic language instruction programs in Beirut and Amman, and operates an academic publishing house (Presses de l'Ifpo) producing peer-reviewed books, journals, and open-access content on archaeology, history, and contemporary studies of the region.

Product overview

The Institut français du Proche-Orient (Ifpo) is a French research institute (UMIFRE 6 / UAR 3135) under the MEAE and CNRS, operating across Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, and Syria. Its product portfolio centers on three pillars: (1) Arabic language education programs comprising intensive July/September courses, an annual 27-week program, and private one-to-one courses across multiple proficiency levels; (2) academic research conducted through three departments—DAHA (archaeology and ancient history), DEAMM (Arabic/medieval/modern studies), and DEC (contemporary studies)—spanning humanities and social sciences of the Near East; and (3) scholarly publishing via Presses de l'Ifpo and OpenEdition Books, producing books and journals including the Bulletin d'études orientales (BEO) and Syria.Archéologie, art et histoire. Supporting offerings include a media library network across five sites, research podcasts, the Carnets de l'Ifpo blog, and various seminars and conferences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stage intensif de Juillet (July Intensive Arabic Course) Intensive four-week Arabic language program offered in Beirut and Amman with 100 hours of collective classes (25 hours/week), native-speaker instructors from Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria, and placement into small groups of 6-12 students. Tuition is 1400 euros; application deadline June 5; payment deadline June 10. Targets students and professionals seeking accelerated Arabic immersion in Modern Standard Arabic and dialects.
• Stage annuel (Annual Arabic Program) 27-week annual Arabic language program in Beirut and Amman with three formula options (A: 12h collective + 4h individual/week; B: 12h collective + 2h individual/week; C: 12h collective only). Pricing structured annually (2700-5200 euros), by semester, or by trimester. Includes optional courses in Arabic calligraphy, music, singing, and theater at 100 euros per 16-hour session. Targets long-term language learners and academic-year students.
• Stages de langue arabe (Arabic Language Programs) Comprehensive Arabic language instruction portfolio covering Modern Standard Arabic (MSA/fushā) and regional dialects (Syrian-Lebanese, Jordanian) across four proficiency levels. Includes intensive July courses, intensive September courses, annual programs in Beirut and Amman, and one-to-one private courses. Designed for academic, diplomatic, NGO, and journalistic Arabic learners internationally.
• Presses de l'Ifpo (Ifpo Press) Academic publishing division producing books and journals on archaeology, history, and contemporary Middle Eastern studies. Collections include BAH (Bibliothèque archéologique et historique), PIFD (Publications de l'Institut français de Damas), Cahiers de l'Ifpo, and Syria.Archéologie, art et histoire. Books distributed via OpenEdition Books, Amazon, and specialist academic booksellers.
• Médiathèque (Media Library) Physical and digital library services across five locations (Amman, Beirut, Damascus, Erbil, Palestine) plus an online catalogue and a digital library (Bibliothèque numérique on Nakalona) providing access to research collections. Supports visiting researchers and doctoral students.
• Département d'archéologie et histoire de l'Antiquité (DAHA) Research department focused on archaeology and ancient history, conducting archaeological programs, missions, and fieldwork across the Near East, including heritage restoration projects and archaeological material lending services.
• Département des études arabes, médiévales et modernes (DEAMM) Research department covering Arabic, medieval, and modern studies, including coordination of Arabic language instruction and operation of the Atelier du Vieux Damas (Old Damascus Workshop) for archival and urban history research.
• Département des études contemporaines (DEC) Research department focused on contemporary studies of the Near East, including political, social, and cultural analysis, with associated research programs and doctoral support initiatives such as the SAHA research program.
• OpenEdition Books (Ifpo Collection) Open-access digital distribution channel for Ifpo's academic books on OpenEdition Books, providing free and reduced-price electronic versions (PDF/epub) of titles on Near Eastern history, archaeology, and contemporary studies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over a dozen nationalities represented in Arabic programs annually, with agreements with Oxford, Durham, Edinburgh, Sciences Po, and other institutions.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• An-Najah National University (Palestine)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2025IFPO Jerusalem antenna and An-Najah National University signed a three-year research partnership in Islamic Studies and History on 20 November 2025. The agreement was signed by An-Najah President Abdel Nasser Zaid and the IFPO Jerusalem team including Mehdi Berriah, Taher Labadi, Laura Vié, and Soraya El Kahlaoui.
• CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFPO is co-funded and co-managed by CNRS as UAR 3135. CNRS researchers are affiliated with IFPO departments, and the institution participates in CNRS-SHS overseas research unit campaigns.
• Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFPO operates under the institutional tutelage of the MEAE as part of France's network of French Institutes abroad (IF). The MEAE provides core funding and exercises institutional oversight.
• IALIIS – Birzeit University (Ibrahim Abu-Lughod Institute of International Studies)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizes the 'Globalization, Colonialism and Liberation: Critical Political Economy Talks' seminar series with Birzeit University's IALIIS, held at Birzeit University with simultaneous Arabic-English interpretation. This is an ongoing partnership for academic seminar delivery.
• CBRL (British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizes the 'Heritage & Archaeology Diwan' series. CBRL is a key partner in the 'Heritage and Archaeology Diwan #10' call for papers alongside University of Jordan, IFPO, GPIA, and ACOR.
• GPIA (German Protestant Institute of Archaeology)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic co-organizer of the Heritage & Archaeology Diwan series alongside CBRL, University of Jordan, IFPO, and ACOR.
• ACOR (American Center of Oriental Research)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic co-organizer of the Heritage & Archaeology Diwan series alongside CBRL, GPIA, University of Jordan, and IFPO.
• Université Salaheddin (Erbil, Iraq)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizes the joint seminar series 'Villes médiévales du Kurdistan' (Medieval Cities of Kurdistan) with IFPO Erbil. Sessions are held alternately at IFPO's citadel of Erbil location and at Université Salaheddin, covering diverse aspects of Kurdish medieval urban history.
• Goethe-Institut AmmanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with IFPO on the 'Oral History of Jordan during the First World War' project, alongside four Jordanian universities (University of Jordan, Yarmouk University, Mutah University, University of Hussein Bin Talal).
• UMIFRE NetworkcoreOthersIFPO is part of the UMIFRE network (Units Mixtes des Instituts Français de Recherche à l'Étranger), managed by the IFRE (Institut Français de Recherche à l'Étranger) under MEAE. This network connects French research institutes operating abroad.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin (Institute for Advanced Study Berlin): German institute for advanced study hosting international fellows. Comparable as a peer state-funded scholarly research infrastructure supporting humanities and social science fellows, though operating in a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• German Archaeological Institute (DAI): World-leading German federal archaeological research institute with decades of operations across the Near East. Comparable as a larger, established foreign archaeological research institution with overlapping mandate in the same geography and co-organizer role in the Heritage & Archaeology Diwan.
• SOAS University of London: UK university specializing in the study of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Comparable as a broader academic institution offering Arabic language instruction and Near Eastern studies research, with overlapping student/diplomatic audience.

Direct peers

• British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem (CBRL): British research institute conducting archaeology and heritage research in the Levant. Comparable as a partner in the Heritage & Archaeology Diwan series, with similar field-research mission and academic publication output in the same geographic region.
• École biblique et archéologique française de Jérusalem: Jerusalem-based French research and academic institution specializing in archaeology, biblical studies, and Near Eastern history. Comparable in geographic footprint, French academic affiliation, and archaeological research focus in the same region.
• American Center of Oriental Research (ACOR): Amman-based American research institute supporting archaeological and cultural heritage research in the Near East. Comparable as a co-organizer in the Heritage & Archaeology Diwan and a peer research/teaching institution in Jordan with overlapping subject coverage.
• Institut français d'archéologie orientale (IFAO): Cairo-based French UMIFRE under MEAE/CNRS conducting archaeological, historical, and philological research in Egypt. Directly comparable as a sister French overseas research institute in the same institutional network, with overlapping mission, structure, and funding model.
• Centre français d'archéologie et de sciences sociales (CEFAS): Kuwait/Beirut-based French research center under MEAE/CNRS conducting social science research in the Arabian Peninsula. Directly comparable as a sister UMIFRE unit with identical institutional structure, French diplomatic backing, and humanities/social science research mandate.
• Orient-Institut Beirut (OIB): Max Weber Stiftung German research institute in Beirut conducting humanities and social science research on the Arab world. Comparable as a European state-funded research institute operating in the same city and region with overlapping social-science and Arabic-studies focus.
• INALCO (Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales): Paris-based French grande école specializing in languages and civilizations of the world, including Arabic. Comparable as a French public academic institution whose doctoral candidates (e.g., the 2017 Inalco thesis prize awarded to an IFPO-related researcher) feed into IFPO's research community.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ifporient
• Facebookfacebook.com/ifporient
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ifpo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Institut français du Proche-Orient