On Saturday 27 June, the Paris School of International Affairs gathered at the iconic Grand Rex theatre in Paris to honour the graduation of 785 students from the PSIA Class of 2026.
Joined by their families, friends, professors, and the entire PSIA Team, graduates celebrated the completion of their studies and the start of their professional journeys.
The ceremony opened with remarks from Arancha González, Dean of PSIA, who reminded students that Sciences Po had “become your home,” a place where they experienced intellectual challenge, personal growth, and lasting friendships.
Dean González underscored the core values that shape PSIA, pluralism, excellence, rigour, and respect and highlighted the essential role of cooperation and shared purpose in confronting today’s global issues.
“The new international order will not build itself. It will need architects trained to think across borders, argue with evidence, hold competing truths without losing their compass, stand firm when it matters most, and build coalitions not just echo chambers. I am fully confident that you are the architects that the world needs today.”
A central moment of the event was the keynote address delivered by Filippo Grandi, 11th United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (2016–2025). He offered reflections on international affairs and the responsibilities awaiting the next generation of global practitioners.
He encouraged graduates to embrace integrity, curiosity, and a commitment to the public good.
"The post-WWII political project of international relations, currently under dire attack, must be reformed, it must be made more equitable and, in bold words, less colonial."
Graduates were then called individually to the stage by program, showcasing the breadth and diversity of PSIA’s academic community.
Among them, around 100 graduates completed one of PSIA’s 15 renowned dual degrees, a testament to the school’s strong international partnerships and global outlook.
With students representing more than 110 nationalities, the ceremony highlighted PSIA’s uniquely international environment and the richness it brings to academic and professional exchanges.
Two Students of Honour addressed the audience on behalf of their peers:
Victoria Koch, Summa Cum Laude, International Economic Policy
Quinn Gordon, Summa Cum Laude, Environmental Policy
Their joint remarks captured the spirit of the Class of 2026, marked by resilience, solidarity, and a shared commitment to building a fairer and more sustainable world.
Speaking from their respective experiences, they reflected on what it means to graduate into a complex global landscape and on the values that will guide them forward.
“We have mastered the essential ability to ask both what is feasible and what is desirable with equal patient rigour and moral ambition.”
In her closing message, Dean González invited graduates to carry forward the values, skills, and friendships they cultivated at PSIA as they embark on their next steps.
“You are entering the world not just with a Master’s degree, but with the irreplaceable human skills that no machine can replicate: emotional intelligence, cultural nuance, critical spirit and the courage to make tough ethical choices. Your mission is to shape the reality of the future with compassion, courage, commitment and coherence.”
The ceremony concluded with warm applause and a strong sense of collective pride across the PSIA community.
Celebrations continued with a reception on Sciences Po’s central Paris campus, marking the graduates’ first gathering as newly minted alumni.
With diplomas in hand and new perspectives ahead, the Class of 2026 now steps confidently into the world, ready to contribute meaningfully across sectors and continents.
With diplomas in hand and new perspectives ahead, the Class of 2026 now steps confidently into the world, ready to contribute meaningfully across sectors and continents.
The entire PSIA team extends its heartfelt congratulations to the Class of 2026 and wishes them every success in the years to come.
Watch the replay of the ceremony - Speeches of Arancha González, PSIA Dean, and, Filipo Grandi, 11th United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (2016–2025), are available at 00:20:10 and 01:50:41, respectively.
