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Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales

Logo: INaLCO, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons3

Academic language institution in France

The Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales (French pronunciation: [ɛ̃stity nɑsjɔnal de lɑ̃ɡ e sivilizɑsjɔ̃ ɔʁjɑ̃tal]; transl. "National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations"), abbreviated as INALCO, is a French grand établissement with a specializing in the teaching of languages and cultures from the world. Its coverage spans languages of Central Europe, Africa, Asia, America, and Oceania.2 It was founded by Jean-Baptiste Colbert and Joseph Lakanal.1 It is headquartered in Paris.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1669Founded1
  • Industryhigher education1
  • HeadquartersParis1
  • Websitewww.inalco.fr/en
  • Legal formpublic scientific, cultural or professional establishment1

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BULAC, Paris
Photo: Vysotsky, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons5

The Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales (French pronunciation: [ɛ̃stity nɑsjɔnal de lɑ̃ɡ e sivilizɑsjɔ̃ ɔʁjɑ̃tal]; transl. "National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations"), abbreviated as INALCO, is a French grand établissement with a specializing in the teaching of languages and cultures from the world. Its coverage spans languages of Central Europe, Africa, Asia, America, and Oceania. With 104 languages taught as of 2024, this institution is currently the world's largest provider of language training courses.2

Corporate structure

Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales sits at the top of its group. 19 entities, 1 country on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

  • Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales Paris
    • Association des Anciens Elèves et Amis des Langues Orientales Subsidiary · Paris, France
    • Center for South Asian Studies Subsidiary
    • CESSMA Subsidiary · Paris
    • ASIEs Inalco Subsidiary · 7th arrondissement of Paris, France
    • Center for Southeast Asian Studies Subsidiary · 13th arrondissement of Paris, France
    • Centre d'Études des Modes d'Industrialisation Subsidiary · 6th arrondissement of Paris, France
    • Centre d'Études et de Recherche Moyen-Orient Méditerranée Subsidiary · France
    • Centre d'Études Japonaises Subsidiary · 7th arrondissement of Paris, France
    • Centre de recherches Europes-Eurasie Subsidiary · 7th arrondissement of Paris, France
    • Centre de Recherches Linguistiques sur l'Asie Orientale Subsidiary · Aubervilliers, France
    • Centre de recherches Moyen-Orient Méditerranée Subsidiary · 7th arrondissement of Paris, France
    • Equipe de Recherche : Textes, Informatique, Multilinguisme Subsidiary · 7th arrondissement of Paris, France
    • LACITO Subsidiary · Villejuif, France
    • Languages and Cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa Subsidiary · Villejuif, France
    • Mondes Iranien et Indien Subsidiary · Ivry-sur-Seine, France
    • PLIDAM Subsidiary · 7th arrondissement of Paris, France
    • Presses de l'Inalco Subsidiary · France
    • TULDM Subsidiary · 14th arrondissement of Paris, France

Built from subsidiaries, stakes and holdings from Wikidata (CC0); major holders from Schedules 13D and 13G. Each entity in the chart links to its source.

The story

Founded by Jean-Baptiste Colbert and Joseph Lakanal in 1669.1

1669 Jean-Baptiste Colbert founds the École des jeunes de langues language school

1795 The École spéciale des langues orientales (ESLO; Special School for Oriental Languages) is established

1873 The two schools merge

1914 The school is renamed the École nationale des langues orientales vivantes (ENLOV)

1971 The school is renamed the Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales or Inalco (National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations)

1984 Inalco is recognized as a Grand établissement

2010 Inalco becomes a founding member of Sorbonne Paris Cité

2011 Inalco centralizes all of its taught courses under one roof at 65 rue des Grands Moulins in Paris

From Wikipedia’s article on Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Leadership

Who has led Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Chair

  1. René Sieffert1971–1976
  2. Henri de La Bastide1976–1986
  3. François de Labriolle1986–1993
  4. André Bourgey1993–2001
  5. Gilles Delouche2001–2005
  6. Jacques Legrand2005–2013
  7. Manuelle Franck2013–2019
  8. Jean-François Huchet2019–now
197019801990200020102020

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Overview

Research at Inalco combines area studies and academic fields. Researchers study languages and civilizations that are increasingly in the spotlight – Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and as far as the Arctic – and are central to the major issues of the 21st century. Fourteen research teams, often partnered with other research organizations, PhD programs, and a publishing service form the backbone of research at Inalco. Inalco also has a project management and knowledge transfer service.

The research teams, administration offices, and doctoral school are housed in a building dedicated entirely to research, with access to a full range of support functions: assistance in preparing research proposals and grant applications, organizing scientific events, looking for partnerships and funding, publication support, internal funding, and communication.

14 research teams (see below)

270 faculty members

Read the full text

300 PhD students

100 scientific events per year

Research teams

Local units:

CERLOM (Centre d'Etude et de Recherche sur les Littératures et les Oralités du Monde)

CERMOM (Centre d'Etudes et de Recherche Moyen-Orient, Méditerranée)

CREE (Centre de Recherche Europes-Eurasie)

ERTIM (Équipe de Recherche Textes, Informatique, Multilinguisme)

LACNAD (Langues et Cultures du Nord de l’Afrique et Diasporas)

PLIDAM (Pluralité des Langues et des Identités: Didactique – Acquisition – Médiations)

Joint research units (UMR):

CASE (Centre Asie du Sud-Est) - with EHESS and CNRS

CeRMI (Centre de Recherche sur le Monde Iranien) - with Sorbonne nouvelle, EPHE, and CNRS

CESSMA (Centre d’études en sciences sociales sur les mondes africains, américains et asiatiques) - with UPC and IRD

CRLAO (Centre de recherches linguistiques sur l'Asie orientale) - with EHESS and CNRS

IFRAE (Institut français de recherche sur l’Asie de l’Est) - with UPC and CNRS

LACITO (Langues et Civilisations à Tradition orale) - with Sorbonne Nouvelle and CNRS

LLACAN (Langage, Langues et Cultures d’Afrique) - with EPHE and CNRS

SeDyL (Structure et Dynamique des Langues) - with IRD and CNRS

From Wikipedia’s article on Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Subsidiaries and ownership

Subsidiaries

  • ASIEs Inalco
  • Association des Anciens Elèves et Amis des Langues Orientales
  • CESSMA
  • Center for South Asian Studies
  • Center for Southeast Asian Studies
  • Centre d'Études Japonaises
  • Centre d'Études des Modes d'Industrialisation
  • Centre d'Études et de Recherche Moyen-Orient Méditerranée
  • Centre de Recherches Linguistiques sur l'Asie Orientale
  • Centre de recherches Europes-Eurasie
  • Centre de recherches Moyen-Orient Méditerranée
  • Equipe de Recherche : Textes, Informatique, Multilinguisme
  • LACITO
  • Languages and Cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa
  • Mondes Iranien et Indien
  • PLIDAM
  • Presses de l'Inalco
  • TULDM

From Wikidata.1

Acquisitions

  1. Succeeded École nationale des langues orientales vivantes1

Timeline

  1. 1669Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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