A university like no other in the world

The university

Created in 1795, the Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales (Inalco) is the only public institution of higher education and research in the world to offer such a rich range of training in languages and civilizations, recognized both in France and internationally. From bachelor's degrees to doctorates and institutional diplomas, Inalco's offer is characterized by its great diversity, with over 100 languages and civilizations taught and several professional courses. Inalco teaches and conducts research on the languages of Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Oceania, Africa and the peoples of America, as well as on the geography, history, institutions and political, economic and social life of the countries concerned.

Research is conducted by 14 teams, half of which are under joint supervision with the CNRS and IRD research organizations. Their scope covers the different regions of the world or humanities and social sciences disciplines (language sciences, literature, social sciences).

A hundred or so languages and civilizations

The Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales (Inalco) is the only large public institution for higher education and research to offer such a rich range of training in languages and civilizations, recognized both in France and internationally. 

Training in languages and civilizations is provided by teacher-researchers who are specialists in their field, and by native speakers of the regions studied at Inalco. From bachelor's degrees to doctorates, our research-backed teaching is aimed at all types of students: high school graduates, undergraduates, working people returning to school or continuing education students.

A range of courses focused on professional integration

Languages and civilizations are the core business of Inalco, which has developed an innovative range of professional courses in a variety of fields: automatic language processing and multilingual engineering, international relations, international trade and communication.

Degrees tailored to the needs of each audience

The courses offered by Inalco in initial and continuing training enable students to acquire:

• mastery of a language and in-depth knowledge of civilization in one study cycle;
• a specific skill to complement other degrees.

These courses open onto five professional streams in international business, international relations, intercultural communication and training, language didactics and multilingual IT.

Licence:curricula by language and world region that may include a professional specialization.
Master's: regional courses focusing on a research discipline or professional orientation.
Doctorate:theses within Inalco's Doctoral School.
Institutional diplomas : certificates, introductory diplomas, language and civilization diplomas, magistères.

Openings

International trade professions: import-export, marketing, logistics, finance, business consulting...
International relations professions: diplomacy, defense, communication, humanitarian action, intercultural mediation, economic intelligence, journalism...
Language professions : multilingual engineering, referencing specialist, automatic language processing, translation and interpreting...
Culture and tourism professions: cultural action, guide-interpreter, transport companies, heritage protection...
Teaching and research professions

Key figures:

• 9,000 students;
• 3,000 teaching staff;
• +120 nationalities among Inalco's teachers and students.