The Higher Education Review

Whether it is a foreign or an Indian language, most of us have zeal to learn a new language, as we have been living in a multilingual and diverse cultural country. Established in 2007, Institute of Foreign Language and Culture (IFLAC) acknowledges this prevailing gusto by undertaking the onus to impart language training as a life skill to the enthusiasts of the nation. "Foreign language study is no longer an academic subject; it is a life skill now. Languages provide the ability to the individual to communicate freely and is regarded as one of the essential competencies of an educated 21st-century person," says Umita A Melwani, Founder, Institute of Foreign Language and Culture. The Institute welcomes approximately 600 students annually with an increment in the enrollment rate with each passing year. In 2009, IFLAC became the first private language center in India to hold the prestigious Diploma en Español Como Lengua Extranjera Exams (DELE), which is held by the Spanish Culture Ministry. In 2015, the institute earned the opportunity to become the first center in Asia to organize ECL exams, which are offered by the European Consortium of Languages.

IFLAC encompasses courses in German, Spanish, French, Italian, Mandarin, Portuguese, English, and Kannada, ranging from intensive and extensive to mastery levels. "We have recently launched the Advantage B1 and Advantage C1 courses, which are directly linked to acquiring an international certificate at the end of the course," pinpoints Melwani. The students coming to IFLAC belong from every walk of life viz. school and college students, executives, senior managers, homemakers, retirees, and so on.

The training is provided to the age group of 6-75 years, where a special programme for those aged 40 and above called the ‘Golden Years Program' is conducted by the institute. The customized trainings administered by the institute are designed according to the interest and convenience of the students. "We have numerous timeslots for classes that
includes morning and evening batches as well as weekend only or weekday batches. For us, ourstudents are our priority and we do understand their schedules and preferences accordingly," claims Melwani.
Located in Bangalore, the classrooms are equipped with substantial audio and video facilities.

"We have created some in-house materials like games and flashcards, which are used in our courses along with notebooks, folders, and interesting worksheets to improve learner's learning experiences," adds Melwani. Comprehending the essential role of the trainers, IFLAC boasts to have 40 vibrant and dynamic trainers who are dedicated to building a great rapport with all the students which in turn will enhance the teaching-learning process.

Recently, IFLAC has associated with Don Quijote, the world's largest chain of Spanish language schools to offer Spanish summer camps for children as well as Spanish immersion programmes for adults. "In coming years, we are committed to adding more languages to our offerings. Besides this, an international partnership for Language Life Skills programme for children is also in the pipeline," concludes Melwani.