Cervantes Institute: Spanish around the world

The Cervantes Institute is a byword around the world for people who are interested in learning Spanish and learning more about the culture of Spain and all the other Spanish-speaking countries. This is the institution that issues the Diplomas of Spanish as a Foreign Language (DELE) on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport. The diplomas are the official certification of a student’s level of competence and fluency in Spanish. There are currently over 800 DELE examining centres in more than 100 countries on five continents.

The Cervantes Institute is a public institution established in 1991 with the aim of promoting the Spanish language and disseminating the culture of Spain and Latin America.
 
It performs these functions through its network of centres located all over the world, and also has central offices in Madrid and Alcalá de Henares (Madrid), the birthplace of the writer Miguel de Cervantes was born.
 
Its teaching programme includes a wide range of courses, both in its schools and via the Internet. The centres of the Cervantes Institute offer classes in Spanish, in addition to classes in the other co-official Spanish languages on demand. The courses are specifically adapted to each area and country, taking into account the particularities of the language and the social and cultural setting. The Institute also provides a range of training courses aimed at teachers of Spanish and education professionals.
 
Another of its main functions is the accreditation of language levels. The Cervantes Institute is the body that, on behalf the Ministry of Education, issues the Diplomas of Spanish as a Foreign Language (DELE), the official credentials that certify the level of skill in the Spanish language. The Cervantes Institute also sets the examinations needed to obtain this diploma, and offers preparatory courses in person and via the Internet.
 
In its role as a promoter of Spanish culture, the Institute arranges thousands of activities every year to raise the profile of this heritage: lectures, exhibitions, debates, musical events, film screenings, theatre performances... Additionally, everyone interested is welcome to use its network of libraries, containing over 1.2 million volumes, and the Institute also actively supports the work of Hispanic scholars throughout the world.

Cervantes Virtual Classrooms


http://ave.cervantes.es/en
 
This is a teaching environment offering Spanish language courses over the internet. Students can follow the courses in various ways: classroom-based, combined classroom/distance learning, and distance learning alone.
 
Teacher training at the Cervantes Institute
 
http://cfp.cervantes.es
 
The teacher training website at the Cervantes Institute provides training activities and resources that may be useful for Spanish teachers who are beginning or advancing their professional career.
 
Accreditation System of the Cervantes Institute Centres (SACIC)
 
http://acreditacion.cervantes.es
 
This is the only internationally recognised accreditation for schools of Spanish as a foreign language. It was set up in the year 2000 in response to the growing demand for Spanish studies with a guarantee of quality. In order to be able to use this quality stamp, accredited schools are required to sign an agreement whereby their activities undergo regular technical and academic assessments.