History
The Language Center was born in Todi as an individual company in 1988
from an idea by Stefania Belli, then a very young doctor in Foreign Languages
and Literature, and therefore an entrepreneur with a strong vocation for
linguistic training, capable of introducing modern teaching methods and
solutions, if not revolutionary.
The initial activities were aimed at clients mainly made up of private
individuals in the Tuderte, and local companies such as Banca Popolare
di Todi, Cantine Tudernum and more. The courses are very much appreciated
due to the strong functional and communicative approach, therefore moving
linguistic teaching away from traditional programmes, sometimes inadequate,
in fashion at that time and today in the majority of public and private
schools.
In 1991 The Language Center became an s.n.c. (a partnership company),
the first sign of development of a successful activity, while in 1992
for the first time in Italy the concept of Full Immersion was introduced,
was introduced, an intensive weekly or week-end course, for individual
students or small groups, and carried out within the conventional structures
of Umbria (eopch residences, villas, holiday farms, hotels in the centre
of the city). The proposal aroused immediate interest with national and
foreign compmanies, with the number of reservations increasing year by
year. Qualified mother tongue teachers of Italian, English, French, German
and Spanish initially informed of the new methods, are activated to guarantee
a service that complies with the expectations of the courses activated
in the most unlikely areas of the Umbria region.
In 1993 Sony Italia started sending one by one many of its managers to
the Green Heart of Italy, for intensive training in English. Thanks to
the specific and constant promotion carried out by the Press Offices,
the offer appears in the most important Italian and foreign newspapers
in order to reach companies, professionals, private clients and also Organisations,
always happy to find a made-to-measure solution in terms of the field
of application, the starting level, and time restrictions. Our very long
list of students includes journalists such as Lidia Ravera, members of
the American diplomatic corps in Italy and in the Holy See, doctors, lawyers
and officials at all levels.
The formula is implicating and successful, so much so that the Managers
of Human Resources chose it as a standard, with 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 list, reaching
the consolidation of the proposal and, consequently, the structure of
The Language Center, stronger with motivated and ambitious collaborators.
The boom arrived in 1998, when the portfolio of companies was filled with
other famous 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 an incredible amount of
companies in just a short period of time; Arthur Andersen Italia has assigned
us an entire long-term training programme, the Alenia group has assigned
us Italian and English managers, Siemens AG Deutschland has began a collaboration
for the Italian language and these examples may multiply exponentially.
In parallel and just a few years after its foundation, the extensive formula
adopted for local customers continued with excellent results in programmes
that involved many famous companies from the Umbria region such as Eles
S.p.A., EMU S.p.A. and Angelantoni S.p.A., to name just a few.
At the end of the year 2001 The Language Center became a company with
limited responsibility "s.r.l." and in the year 2002 moved its
head office to the centre of Todi, in an old building which at the same
time is very functional.
Other important changes correspond to the logistic transfer, with regards
to the intensification of quality control as well as the implementation
of modern teaching materials, right through to the improvement of the
exclusive TULPA certification system. These elements are extremely important
for access to European, national and local funds but at the same time
they are obligatory in the new field of collaboration with various companies
from the Finmeccanica Group. This collaboration leads to the creation
of new ideas and projects aimed at placing TLC in a stable position regarding
an extremely important part of the market, such as extensive company training
throughout the entire Italian territory and summer programmes for children
from the Umbria region.
Since the year 2003: the success of the Childrens Programme, with 60 students
participating in the summer season, the approval and activation of 6 linguistic
teaching programmes according to the law 236, as well as the creation
in a partnership of an ambitious project aimed at 45 entrepreneurs from
the Polish region of Warmia i Mazuri. Other important duties strengthen
the leadership on a national level for Full Immersion of The Language
Center, called for the formation of several members of the Dutch Diplomatic
Body and the start up of a pilot programme for the multinational company
Ernst&Young.
Short term objectives include the development of remote learning techniques
and systems, UNI EN ISO certification and the opening of new TLC offices
in Italy.
Some may believe that this is the end of the story, but we believe that
this is just the beginning!
1988
Foundation of The Language Center as an individual company.
1991
Foundation of The Language Center s.n.c.
1991
The launch of Italian courses for foreigners (La Lingua La Vita Programme).
1992-93
The launch of Full Immersion courses (Foreign languages for Italians,
Italian language for foreigners).
1993
The first Full Immersion programme for Sony Italia.
1996
The beginning of relations with Basf Italia, Paribas and Iccrea.
1998
The boom year (the beginning of relations with Alenia Marconi Systems,
Banque Générale de Luxembourg).
2001
A record turnover, the creation of The Language Center S.r.l.
2002
Installation at 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.
Start up of a pilot programme with Ernst & Young.
Launch of the childrens programme.
Partnership in a ministerial project for the Polish region of Warmia i
Mazuri.
Full Immersion in the Dutch Diplomatic Body.
2004
Intensive courses for the Bank of Umbria 1462
Consolidated the collaboration with the Finmeccanica Group,
with two training programmes for Galileo Avionica and Oto Melara
Launched a training programme of multi-lingual full immersion courses
for IFAD, a United Nations agency specialising in the financing of FAO
programmes throughout the world.
Luanched a series of Full Immersion courses for EDS, a multinational company
in the corporate training sector.
2005
Preparation of the 'La Lingua La Vita' (the language, the life) programme
in Florence, which became operational in September 2005 specifically for
the University and Institute for Foreigners (Perugia). Launched the Todi
Language Center Camp Italia, a summer camp in Italian for foreign youngsters,
alongside the existing Todi Language Center Camp in English.
Implemention of 14 corporate projects and 3 individual courses financed
by the Region of Umbria (art. 236 & Ob.3) starting September 2005.
Implemention of 2 language training projects for MBDA at their sites
in Fusaro, near Naples, and Rome.