Inalco began teaching languages and culture studies in 1795. Ever since, the Institute has cultivated its role in understanding a living heritage outside of any Western references.
Over the centuries, Inalco has become an institution of unrivaled scope, teaching languages that span Central Europe, Africa, Asia, America, and Oceania.
Inalco’s expertise in the diverse languages of Asia and the Middle East was forged over a rich 345-year history, from Colbert’s trade ambitions under the Ancien Régime to the global challenges of the third millennium.
Research at Inalco combines area studies and academic disciplines. Today, our 15 research units have about 570 active members, including 270 tenured academics and 300 doctoral students.
Thanks to over 200 partnership agreements, Inalco conducts research projects in over one hundred countries and offers joint programs with foreign universities.
Five-year contract 2014-2018: the President and senior administration develop the strategic plan with guidance from the main boards and committees and from ad hoc working groups.
More than three centuries of experience make for a strong tradition and expertise. Over the years, the Ecole des langues orientales, which became Inalco in 1971, has become an institution of unrivaled scope, teaching over a hundred languages and cultures.
The preservation, study, transmission, development, and interaction of languages and cultures are Inalco’s core concerns. Our foundation leads projects that make the most of Inalco’s expertise in education, research, and advancing knowledge and skills in a globalized world.
