Founded in May of 1991, the Instituto Cervantes was created by the Spanish government to facilitate the teaching of Spanish culture and language on a worldwide scale. The institute currently has 54 locations in 20 different countries. It is now the single largest promoter of the Spanish language and culture in the world.
The Instituto Cervantes is named after Miguel de Cervantes, one of the most prominent figures in the history of Spanish literature. As the author of Don Quixote, Cervantes lived from 1547 to 1616. He is generally considered the greatest writer of historical Spanish literature. His novel Don Quixote is commonly regarded as the first modern European novel and has become a staple of classic Western literature. The novel now has 700 editions and has been translated into every major language. His writing style served as a great influence for later writers, beginning with those in eighteenth century England and Germany.
In accordance with the Spanish Ministry of Education, the Instituto Cervantes offers students the Diplomas of Spanish as Foreign Language exams. This is the only certification available in Spain for non-native Spanish speakers. Upon mastering the examination, students are certified as having obtained a high level of competence in the Spanish language. The certifications are subdivided into six different levels. Each of these competency levels represent a particular degree of proficiency as defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
One of the primary goals of the Instituto Cervantes is to promote the adaptation of Spanish as a universal second language, therefore, advancing the status of Spanish and Hispanic American cultures on a worldwide basis. Through its network of centers and libraries in addition to online access, the Instituto Cervantes allows students the opportunity to improve reading, writing, and verbal skills. Students are also being taught about literary works and the cultures of Spanish-speaking regions.
The institute offers both general and specialized courses in order to develop the student’s proficiency of the Spanish language in both the written and verbal forms. The establishment also places special emphasis on the differences between various Spanish accents and dialect.
In iNMSOL, our Spanish teaching programmes are organized according to the levels of the European Common Reference Framework for Languages (Council of Europe) and with the Curricula Plan of the Cervantes Institute.