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CDU SEDES

French academic publisher specialising in study aids and exam-preparation works for university students and competitive-exam candidates.

Last updated September 28, 2026

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Overview

CDU Sedes (Centre de documentation universitaire – société d'édition d'enseignement supérieur) is a French academic publishing house formed from the merger of the CDU, created in the mid-1930s, and the SEDES, created in 1955. It specialises in works aimed at students preparing for a degree or a competitive examination. The company Cdu Sedes was registered on 1 January 1954 (SIREN 542-090-089) and no longer directly carries out its publishing activity. Originally the house produced mimeographed lecture notes and academic publications written by teachers at the Sorbonne and the preparatory classes of the great Parisian lycées, located near its historic headquarters at 88, boulevard Saint-Germain in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. A co-publishing programme was undertaken with the Centre national d'enseignement à distance (CNED), the CNED-SEDES collection in history, geography and literature. Since its acquisition by Éditions Armand Colin in 2004, the brand name in current use is éditions Sedes. The catalogue covers general culture, French/philosophy, history (notably the Regards sur l'histoire collection), geography, geopolitics, languages, literature, political science, and methodology for preparatory classes for the grandes écoles (the Impulsion collection with four series: cours, référence, colle, méthode). Its journals — L'Information géographique, Histoire, économie et société, and Romantisme — are now published under the Armand Colin brand.

History

CDU Sedes (Centre de documentation universitaire – société d'édition d'enseignement supérieur) is a French academic publishing house formed from the merger of the CDU, created in the mid-1930s, and the SEDES, created in 1955. It specialises in works intended for students preparing for a degree or a competitive examination. The company Cdu Sedes was registered on 1 January 1954 (SIREN 542-090-089) and no longer directly carries out its publishing activity. At its origin, the house produced mimeographed lecture notes and academic publications written by teachers at the Sorbonne and the preparatory classes of the great Parisian lycées, located near its historic headquarters at 88, boulevard Saint-Germain in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. A co-publishing programme was undertaken with the Centre national d'enseignement à distance (CNED), the CNED-SEDES collection in history, geography and literature. Since its acquisition by Éditions Armand Colin in 2004, the brand name in current use is éditions Sedes. The catalogue covers general culture, French/philosophy, history (notably the Regards sur l'histoire collection), geography, geopolitics, languages, literature, political science, and methodology for preparatory classes for the grandes écoles (the Impulsion collection with four series: cours, référence, colle, méthode). Its journals — L'Information géographique, Histoire, économie et société, and Romantisme — are now published under the Armand Colin brand.

  • 2004

    Acquisition by Éditions Armand Colin; the brand name éditions Sedes comes into current use.

  • 1955

    Creation of the SEDES (société d'édition d'enseignement supérieur).

  • 1954

    Registration of the company Cdu Sedes on 1 January 1954 (SIREN 542-090-089).

  • 1930

    Creation of the CDU (Centre de documentation universitaire) in the mid-1930s.

Products and positioning

Academic and exam-preparation publisher for French higher-education students and competitive-exam candidates.

  • Regards sur l'histoire collection

    History book collection.

  • Impulsion collection

    Methodology for preparatory classes for the grandes écoles, with four series: cours, référence, colle, méthode.

  • CNED-SEDES collection

    Co-published with the Centre national d'enseignement à distance in history, geography and literature.

Sources4 sources

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