The story
The European Language Certificates – today telc language tests, formerly VHS Certificate – arose in 1968 when a team of language experts led by Robert Nowacek first developed as a standardized language test for the German Adult Education Association (DVV) – the VHS Certificate in English. Over the years, tests followed in other European languages.In 1995 the Examination Centre of DVV became a member of the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE). The main objective of this association of Language Testers from over 20 European countries is the quality assurance of language exams. In 1998 the examination Centre of DVV became WBT (Weiterbildungs-Testsysteme gGmbH), eight years later it was renamed telc gGmbH (with the stylized 'telc').
From Wikipedia’s article on The European Language Certificates, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4