MSc Expert in International Relations & Cooperations

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BECOMING A STRATEGIC PLAYER IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION

The MSc Expert in International Relations and Cooperation program enables you to master the traditional approach to the study of international relations and the mechanisms of contemporary diplomacy.

In just two years, you’ll gain comprehensive, up-to-date expertise in international relations and cooperation, political science, foreign trade, defense and security.

A recognized diploma

Professional certification in “Expert in International Relations and Cooperation” at Level 7 (EU), NSF code 128 & 346, awarded by MBA Institute, registered under number 39853 in the RNCP (Répertoire National des Certifications Professionnelles) by decision of the Director of France Compétences dated 28/11/2024.
Each validated year of study also earns 60 ECTS credits (European Credits Transfer System). This system enables simpler, more transparent recognition of diplomas and qualifications between European Union countries, and makes every student’s academic career more flexible and transparent. To find out more about the ECTS system, please visit the official page.

ECTS CREDITS SHEET

MSc “Expert in International Relations & Cooperation” program

FIRST YEAR

Introduction to Economic and Strategic Intelligence
AI and Ethics
OSINT (Open Source Intelligence)
Public International Law
Major Actors in International Relations
International Trade Policies
Strategic Policies since 1945
European Cooperation Policies
Business Internationalization
Project Management Fundamental
Principles of Communication
International Contract Law
Empires and Nations
Typology of Crises
International Justice
Professional Experience Feedback (and its methodology)
TECHAWAY-Artificial Intelligence

Specialization 1

Analysis of Economic Statistics
International Economics and Finance
Actors in Economic Diplomacy
Concept of Attractiveness
Conducting Influence Diplomacy

Specialization 2

French Defense and European Defense
National Tools for Peacekeeping and Peace Restoration
Defense Strategies and External Operations
Defense Industrial and Technological Base
Challenges of European Union Defense

SECOND YEAR

DEUXIÈME ANNÉE

Intelligence and Monitoring Tools and Methods
Artificial Intelligence and International Relations
Country Risk Analysis
Geopolitics of Energy and Climate
Intercultural Negotiations
Contemporary Geopolitical Issues
International Cooperation Strategies
Influence Communication and Lobbying
International Project Management
Financial Structuring of International Projects
Crisis Management and Communication
Crisis Analysis
Mediation and Arbitration
Professional Experience Feedback Methodology
TECHAWAY-Artificial Intelligence
Grand Oral Methodology

Specialization 1

Economic Diplomacy
Implementation of Influence Diplomacy
Serious Game
Attractiveness Policies
International Development of International Companies

Specialization 2

Intelligence: Institutional Organization
Cybercrime and Cyberdefense
New Conflict Spaces and Strategic Thinking
The Intelligence Cycle: Technical and Human Tools
Future of Defense Issues and Major Armament Projects
Serious Game

To find out more about the program, download the school brochure.

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Pedagogy

Pedagogical objectives

The program trains experts capable of managing international projects and leading diplomatic missions within governmental and non-governmental institutions, local authorities and companies, both in France and abroad.

Target skills

Block 1 – Conduct a strategic and economic intelligence diagnosis on international issues	Implement structured global strategic intelligence integrating all relevant data (societal, environmental, economic) via appropriate tools including AI, while respecting the RGPD and the reliability of sources. Diagnose the situation of a country or region in depth, identifying key players, decision-makers and issues to map territorial risks. Analyze, cross-reference and prioritize all the data gathered to synthesize information according to its strategic value. Formulate critical recommendations and guidelines to facilitate decision-making and strengthen the organization’s activity. Anchor a culture of strategic intelligence within the organization.
Block 2 – Drawing up and implementing an international cooperation policy	Develop and manage international cooperation projects by drafting agreements tailored to the needs of the organization and its partners, then organizing the diplomatic and institutional meetings required to bring them to fruition. Support international development strategies by identifying key players, analyzing their policies and determining the most appropriate legal organization (technical office, subsidiary, etc.) according to the objectives pursued. Structure project financing by mobilizing all available tools (banking, concessional, European, multilateral, development aid). Coordinate the establishment of a variety of international partnerships, notably public and/or private, to strengthen the organization’s position through appropriate financing.
Block 3 – Managing an international project	Operationally manage an international project by qualifying it according to its stakes, defining an implementation schedule with appropriate monitoring tools, and mobilizing a targeted network of national and international stakeholders according to their respective skills. Organize and manage all stages of the project (design, negotiation, implementation, evaluation) within a multicultural collaborative framework, taking into account cultural differences, societal, environmental and disability issues. Implement an evaluation system to identify deviations from expected results, report to management and propose adjustments. Defend the organization’s interests internationally by proposing ethical and legal lobbying actions, based on analysis of foreign policies and an understanding of the mechanisms of influence between players.
Block 4 – Providing advice and support in international crisis situations	Analyze and map crises (including cyber) by identifying their internal, regional and international consequences, as well as the actors, destabilizing factors and sources of communication, in order to anticipate and propose a prevention policy with its legal tools. Build a corporate communications and crisis management plan adapted to the media context and risks, identifying the appropriate tools for disseminating information to target players and limiting any destabilization via social networks. Formalize crisis management procedures in line with national/international public plans, organize and coordinate a crisis unit by mobilizing the right people, defining their responsibilities and ensuring training in procedures at all levels of the organization. Evaluate responses (tools, communication, coordination) to propose improvement processes, update scenarios and guarantee the resilience and continuity of the organization’s activities.
Optional Block 1 – Leading an Attractiveness Policy and International Business Support	Identify attractiveness stakeholders through upstream monitoring and sector analysis, then map them according to their roles in order to promote a country’s or region’s attractiveness to foreign investors. Subsequently negotiate the entry of foreign partners, whether industrial or financial, into a national project and formalize solid and sustainable contracts. Organize support in all its forms – political, financial and operational – to strengthen companies’ positioning against international competition, adapting the support according to their status and purpose. Master new intervention methods and new international commitments, particularly those related to the environment, in order to better advise companies in their strategic approaches. Process data on market access to facilitate entry into a foreign market by taking into account international trade policies, whether free trade, protectionism or industrial sovereignty, as well as intellectual property rights. Thus enable companies to navigate effectively in a complex and constantly evolving business environment. Define an influence strategy internally and externally in order to develop the reputation, visibility and attractiveness of the organization or national companies internationally. Implement a strategy with all the tools of economic diplomacy: participation in trade shows, export financing, individualized support, organization of events such as conferences and seminars, and conducting official visits abroad to support and develop economic projects.
Optional Block 2 – Advising on Defense Policy or International Security Cooperation	Identify collective security mechanisms and cooperation methods within international and regional organizations and alliances in order to promote a defense and security policy, particularly to combat cybercrime and ensure the protection of data and vital infrastructure. Determine the relevant political and military mission instruments, mediation and sanction tools for the represented organization. Advise the represented organization in information warfare in order to ensure the security of information systems and cyberspace, linking traditional strategic functions with the “sixth strategic function” (influence). Analyze geopolitical and geostrategic contexts as well as the common, shared and projected issues of different actors in order to contribute to defining a defense strategy, taking into account developments in strategic thinking and doctrine, particularly regarding nuclear matters. Propose political and military objectives as well as decision-making processes relating to a planned joint and/or allied operation based on collective security mechanisms (NATO or European Union). Conduct a forward-looking study to propose a state or industrial strategy regarding the design, manufacture or acquisition of armaments or security tools. Advise the represented structure in its choices of a technological and industrial defense or international security strategy, taking into account the particularities of defense and security markets. Integrate the scope and challenges of the DTIB (Defense Technological and Industrial Base) as well as the specificities of institutional functioning and the company-administration relationship of the main arms exporters.

Methods used

HEIP offers programs designed by academic and professional experts, regularly updated to keep pace with the latest market trends and requirements. HEIP integrates innovative teaching methods such as case studies, simulations and practical projects, enabling students to develop both analytical and practical skills. Emphasis is placed on the acquisition of the technical, analytical and interpersonal skills needed to succeed in institutional fields.

Faculty

Direction MSc Expert in International Relations and Cooperation: Dominique de Combles de Nayves

Co-director MSc Expert in International Relations and Cooperation: Aude Bréjon
MSc1 Expert in International Relations and Cooperation: Salim Saïfi
MSc2 Expert in International Relations and Cooperation: Catherine Mathieu

View the list of faculty members at HEIP. Please note that this list is not exhaustive.

Evaluation methods

Assessment procedures are rigorous and based on a variety of methods, including case studies, simulations, role-playing, practical projects and oral presentations. Assessment criteria are clear and designed to measure students’ mastery of the skills they have developed.

Qualification methods

Assessment is carried out through capitalizable skills blocks, each validated independently according to specific methods: case studies, professional simulations, written reports and oral presentations. The complete qualification is obtained by validating the four common blocks, one specialization block according to the chosen pathway, the grand oral examination, the professional experience report, as well as by completing a work placement of at least 80 days in the second year.

Job opportunities

On graduating, our students are destined to work in both the private and public sectors, nationally and internationally, in multinationals as well as smaller companies. Depending on their chosen specialization, they quickly rise to positions of responsibility.
(non-exhaustive list)

International Security & Defense Policy” specialization

Operational Safety Manager
Consulting analyst for cybersecurity service providers
Project manager for international organizations
Business Intelligence Analyst
Crisis management communications officer
Consultant to defense contractors

International Affairs & Economic Diplomacy” specialization

Project coordinator for an international organization
Project manager in a local authority
Logistician in an NGO
Expert advisor to government agencies and ministries
Consultant in a design office
Head of training in cooperative project management

Choose a work-study program!

The MSc Expert in International Relations and Cooperation is offered on an initial or sandwich course.

It can be made :

2-year sandwich course
2 years initial
1-year initial course + 1-year sandwich course

For full-time students, completing a work placement of at least 80 days during the second year of the program (MSc 2) is mandatory.

Schedule by campus

Paris

Download the work-study schedule Option 1 Diplomatie Economique et Développement International des Entreprises – Year 1
Download the work-study schedule Option 1 Diplomatie Economique et Développement International des Entreprises – Year 2
Download the work-study schedule Option 2 International Defense and Security Policy and Cooperation – Year 1
Download the work-study schedule Option 2 International Defense and Security Policy and Cooperation – Year 2

Lyon

Download the work-study schedule Option 1 Diplomatie Economique et Développement International des Entreprises – Year 1
Download the work-study schedule Option 1 Diplomatie Economique et Développement International des Entreprises – Year 2

Admissions

Prerequisites

You can also apply for the first or second year of the MSc.

MSc 1

Bac+3 (180 ECTS) or equivalent foreign qualification in humanities, law, social sciences, politics or economics.
A keen interest in political science and international relations.

MSc 2

Bac+4 (240 ECTS) validated in the following fields: international relations, political science of public administration, international law, public law, political and geopolitical science, economics.
A keen interest in political science and international relations.

How to register

Putting together an application
Oral admission test

Candidates receive their test results 4 weeks after presenting their file to a jury.

All the details are explained on the MSc Admission page.

application

Rates

For 2025/2026 :

MSc sandwich course: €10,950/year

Initial MSc: €10,350/year

Application fees

80 (regardless of the year you apply)

For work-study students, the tuition fees are paid by the company or institution of the work-study student and/or the skills operator (OPCO). The remaining cost for the student is zero.

These rates are valid for the start of the 2025/2026 school year and are subject to annual review.

Practical information

Indicators and rates

Graduation rate for the MSc “Expert en relations & coopérations internationales” program – Year 2023 – 2024: 84
Teaching quality (pedagogy, expertise, availability, support, dialogue): ^84%*2
Quality of work-study schedule: ^90%*2
Apprenticeship indicators and rates (Nov 2023)
Apprenticeship indicators and rates (Nov 2025)

*¹ certification obtained in 2023

^*2 Opinionway survey November 2023 & February 2025