The Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris (IAP) is a "Mixed Research Unit" (UMR 7095) jointly run by the Sorbonne Université and by the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS). In December 2005, the IAP was granted the status of “Observatory of the Sciences of the Universe” and as a consequence became an “Internal School” of Sorbonne Université.

The IAP has been a member of the Laboratoires d'Excellence Institut Lagrange de Paris and Exploitation Spatiale des Environnements Planétaires since their creation in 2011.

The IAP is a multi-disciplinary laboratory, working at the forefront of both astrophysics and theoretical physics. The principal areas of research at the IAP are the formation of planetary systems and extra solar planetary research, stellar physics, galactic evolution, large-scale structure, observational cosmology, physics of the primordial Universe, and high energy physics.

IAP researchers are observers, modelers, and theorists. Their research relies on large observational programs, numerical calculations, or advanced analytical methods. The IAP consists of about 150 researchers, engineers, technicians, administrators, post-doctorates and thesis students, and regularly welcomes interns and foreign visitors.

The IAP also hosts a second-year Master’s program entitled "Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Engineering", as well as Sorbonne Université’s branch for the l'Ecole Doctorale d'Astronomie et d'Astrophysique d'Ile-de-France ("Doctoral School for Astronomy and Astrophysics", ED 127). It has an exclusive partnership with the Paris Observatory, which is located on the same campus. It also hosts the general secretary of the International Astronomical Union (UAI) since 1988. The IAP actively shares scientific knowledge, in particular by organizing public presentations on the first Thursday of every month.

Member of the ILP and ESEP LabEx