History

 

The Language Center was created in Todi in 1988 out of an idea by the then very young Dr. Stefania Belli, with a Ph.D in Foreign Languages and Literature, who later became an entrepreneur with a strong vocation for linguistic training and an ability to introduce modern, if not revolutionary, teaching methods and solutions.

Initial activities were aimed at clients made up primarily of private individuals in Todi and its surroundings, as well as local companies such as Banca Popolare di Todi, Cantine Tudernum (the local winery) and more.  As a sign of its continuing development and success, The Language Center became a partnership in 1991. Still wanting to get around the problem of language courses taught at the time which were mainly based on classes held once or twice a week, in 1992 for The Language Center introduced the concept of Full Immersion for the first time in Italy. Then, as now, the courses were very much appreciated due to the strong functional and communicative approach which moved linguistic teaching away from the traditional and sometimes inadequate programs still found in the majority of public and private schools even to this day.

 

The new concept consisted of an intensive weekly or week-end course, for individual students or small groups, and took place in Umbria’s traditional hospitality structures including historic residences, villas, holiday farms in the Umbrian countryside and hotels in the city centre. The proposal aroused immediate interest with national and foreign companies, and reservations grew year after year. Qualified mother-tongue Italian, English, French, German and Spanish teachers initially trained in the school’s new methods, now guarantee a service that fulfils course expectations held in the most serene and beautiful areas in the Umbrian region.

 

Following the success of this new teaching method, The Language Center continues to focus its attention on the individual needs of the student and on looking for new learning techniques as well as financing opportunities to provide assistance to private and public clients as they grow and advance in an international and intercultural environment.  This holds true for both the teaching methodology as well as financial aid counselling for both private and business situation.

In 1993, Sony Italia started sending its managers, one by one, to the Green Heart of Italy for intensive English courses. Thanks to specialized and consistent promotion, our press offices manage to place initiatives like these in the most important Italian and foreign newspapers in order to reach companies, professionals, private clients and also public entities worldwide.  These clients, in turn, are always happy to find a customized solution in The Language Center we can help them with the application process, determine appropriate starting level, and establish time schedules. Our very long list of students includes journalists such as Lidia Ravera, members of the American Diplomatic Corps in Italy and the Holy See as well as doctors, lawyers and officials at every level.  The formula is stimulating and successful, so much so that Human Resources managers choose it as a standard which allows them the possibility of constantly controlling the progress of its employees with regards to their various linguistic skills.

In 1996 BASF Italia, Paribas and ICCREA are added to the clientele, consolidating the original challenge and, consequently, the structure of The Language Center, making it stronger with the addition of motivated and ambitious collaborators. The boom arrived in 1998, when the portfolio of companies was filled with other well-known names from the international market: Alenia Marconi Systems, Banque Générale de Luxembourg, Toyota Motor Europe, Grand'Optical and Coca-Cola Italia, to name just a few.

From there, The Language Center managed to reach out to an incredible amount of companies in just a short period of time; Arthur Andersen Italia assigned us an entire long-term training program, the Alenia group sent us Italian and English managers, Siemens AG Deutschland began a collaboration for our Italian courses and these examples will surely multiply exponentially.
 

Simultaenously, and just a few years after its foundation, the extensive formula adopted for local customers continued to yield excellent results in Programs involving many important Umbrian companies such as Eles S.p.A., EMU S.p.A. and Angelantoni S.p.A., among others.

 

At the end of 2001, The Language Center became a limited liability company and the following year it moved its headquarters to the center of Todi, in a historic yet functional building.  Other important changes made include increased focus on quality control, implementation of modern teaching materials and a more perfected version of the exclusive TULPA certification system.  These improvements would prove essential in efforts to attain national and local funding as well as fulfilling requirements necessary to collaborate with the various companies of the Finmeccanica Group, the large Italian industrial conglomerate.  This collaboration would, in turn, lead to the creation of new projects and ideas aimed at placing TLC in a strong position regarding an extremely important part of the market, such as extensive company training throughout the entire Italian territory and summer programs for children from Umbria.
 

Since 2003, we have enjoyed many more successes:  The ever-popular Children’s Program, with 60 students participating during the summer; approval and activation of six company programs financed by Law 236 and the creation of a ministerial partnership project aimed at 45 entrepreneurs from the Polish region of Warmia i Mazuri.  By this time, the Full Immersion program is available at a national level and a pilot program is created for the multinational auditing firm, Ernst & Young.  TLC was also proud to offer intensive language training to the Dutch Diplomatic Corps.

 

Short-term objectives include the development of remote learning techniques and systems, UNI EN ISO certification and the opening of new TLC offices elsewhere in Italy. 

Some may believe that this is the end of the story, but we believe that this is just the beginning!

1988      
Founded of The Language Center as a sole proprietorship.
 

1991      
Founded of The Language Center s.n.c., an unlimited company
 

1991      
Launched Italian courses for foreigners (La Lingua La Vita Program).  Beginning of exchange programs with American universities, Italian Cultural Institutes overseas, agencies and students from all around the globe.
 

1992-93
Launched Full Immersion courses (Foreign languages for Italians, Italian language for foreigners), a program so rewarding that Human Resources managers from large companies decide to adopt it as their standard, having the possibility to monitor employee progress in terms of their various linguistic competencies.
 

1993      
Activated the first Full Immersion Program for Sony Italia.
 

1996      
Began a working relationship with BASF Italia, Paribas and ICCREA.
 

1998      
This boom year sees the beginning of a working relationship with Alenia Marconi Systems, Banque Générale de Luxembourg, Lucent Technologies, Siemens AG Deutschland and the Dutch Embassy in Italy.
 

2000

Arthur Andersen commissions a wide-reaching, long-term training program through TLC, the Alenia Group sends us their Italian and English managers and Siemens AG Deutschland embarks on an Italian language program.  Possibilities could increase exponentially!

 

2001      
A record year, in terms of turnover, The Language Center is converted into a limited liability company
 

2002      
Acquisition of and relocation to the new head office in via Mazzini, Todi.
Beginning of a collaboration with MBDA Italy.
Perfection of the TULPA certification system.
 

2003      
Activation of six company projects financed by the old Law 236 in Umbria.
Creation of a pilot program with Ernst & Young.
Launch of the Children’s Summer Camp program, enjoying great success still to this day.
Partnership in a ministerial project for the Polish region of Warmia i Mazuri.
Full Immersion for the Dutch Diplomatic Corps. 
 

2004
Intensive courses for the Bank of Umbria 1462
Intensification of the collaboration with the Finmeccanica Group, with two training programs for Galileo Avionica and Oto Melara
Launched a multi-lingual, full immersion training program for IFAD, a United Nations agency specialising in the financing of FAO Programs throughout the world.
Initiated a series of Full Immersion courses for EDS, a multinational corporate training company.
 

2005
Preparation of the “La Lingua La Vita” (The Language, The Life) program in Florence, which became operational in September 2005 and intended specifically for universities and institutes for foreigners (such as the one in Perugia).

Launched TLC Camp Italia, a summer camp in Italian for foreign youngsters, held alongside the existing TLC Camp in English.
Implemention of 14 corporate projects and 3 individual courses, all financed by the Region of Umbria (Art. 236 & Ob.3) as of September 2005.
Implemention of 2 language training projects for MBDA at their sites in Naples and Rome.

 

2006

Development and launch of the Beyond Language program which continues to be implemented and supported to this day.  It is based on innovative techniques in neurolinguistic programming (PNL©) and is in step with the most modern discoveries in neuro-sciences allowing for proven learning progress up to 25-30% higher than other, more conventional, methods.

The Language Center obtains ISO 9001:2000 certification.

E-learning:  Our course participants can now take advantage of e-learning follow-up immersion sessions with our teachers.

 

2007

TLC begins to work with interprofessional category-based funding such as Fondir e Fondirigenti while also offering consulting services for presentation, monitoring and reporting of training programs.

In July 2007, TLC was the first training agency in Italy to present a Fondimpresa financing plan thus carrying out a teaching as well as consulting role for MBDA, a Finmeccanica Group company.

 

2008

Working with companies of such caliber as Deloitte Italy, Deloitte Fas, Ers, Ernst & Young, Esprinet, Isa, The Language Center strengthens its experience in the field of training financed through interprofessional category-based funds.

Rendered additional consulting services on funding for other companies such as Dun and Bradstreet, even regarding training not necessarily related to language learning.

 

2009

Creation and implementation of managerial courses for several large Italian companies including SKF and Coloplast.  These are entirely English-based courses on leadership, public speaking, team-building, negotiation and time-management geared towards international and intercultural training of managers and leaders for companies with significant international exposure.

 

2010

Organization of the "Intercultural Path for Managers" training seminar held at Le Dimore di San Crispino Resort & SpA in Assisi.  The event was aimed at offering a few hours of training in English on some of the modules related to the management pathway, a new course for 2009.  Participants to the event included Training Managers from important Italian companies, such clients of ours as MBDA, Deloitte Consulting, Fincantieri, Dell Computers and Canon Italia.

English lessons on Skype:  Our students can follow-up on language course programs through interactive lessons with our best native-speaking teachers.

Among our short term objectives, we are working on developing systems and techniques for distance learning as well as opening new TLC locations throughout Italy.
 

Some may think we're at the end of our story, but we think this is just the beginning!