The «Security-Defence Continuum» cycle in a nutshell
Designed for students aged 18 to 30 in the Ile-de-France region The «Continuum Security-Defence» course (previously known as the «Discovery» course) has been organised every year since 2011 by the Endowment Fund of the IHEDN (Institut des hautes études de défense nationale), with the support of the SNCF Group's Rail Safety Department.
The «Security and Defence Continuum» cycle (formerly known as the «Discovery» cycle) provides in-depth information about defence and security policy of France and the safety issues at SNCF. In particular, it relies on direct exchanges between participants, military personnel and public service professionals.
The programme takes place over three and a half days, with accommodation in full board (accommodation and catering): after conferences introductory course at the École Militaire (Paris 7e), the session alternates between immersion visits a military unit and sites representative of the SNCF's security business.
The aim is to encourage collective, decompartmentalised thinking on the security-defence continuum and the’spirit of defence, around specific topics. The participants' conclusions are presented at the closing session, in the presence of authorities from the SNCF and the IHEDN.
The course ends with the issue of a certificate.
The 12e The «Security-Defence Continuum» cycle took place from Tuesday 1 to Friday 4 April 2025.
The 30 participants for the 2025 session were selected from around one hundred applications.
In particular, they have :
- Talk to high-level speakers at conferences on defence and national security issues, safety issues at SNCF, feedback on cybersecurity at the 2024 Olympic Games, etc.
- Visited the Air Base 702 (BA 702) (Avord, 18) and the’SNCF Safety University (UDSUR) (Ermont, 95).
- Participated in the ceremony to rekindle the flame under the Arc de Triomphe, on 3 April, at the invitation of the Lieutenant General Loïc MIZON, Military Governor of Paris (GMP), and Jean-Pierre FARANDOU, Chairman of the SNCF Group. One of the main aims of the ceremony was to pay tribute to the railwaymen who fought in the Resistance and the SNCF reservists who served the nation.
Reporting on the work carried out by the three committees took place in the presence of authorities from the SNCF and the IHEDN, as well as heads of the university courses represented.
The trainees made recommendations on the following themes, before exchanging views with the audience:
- COMMITTEE 1 : Integrating new technologies into the security-defence continuum
- COMMITTEE 2 : Cooperation between internal security forces, armed forces and major operators
- COMMITTEE 3 : The resilience of critical infrastructures to modern threats
The training attendance certificates were then presented to them in the Salon des Maréchaux at the École Militaire by the Lieutenant General Hervé de COURRÈGES, Director of IHEDN and Higher Military Education (EMS), and by Xavier ROCHE, Director of Security for the SNCF Group.
© A. Montreuil / French Air Force
© E. Quéron / French Air Force
