International Institute for Languages and Cultures
The International Institute for Languages and Cultures (INLAC) aims to foster dialogue between cultures and peoples, especially between the Islamic world and the West. The global unrest and the tragic events of September 11, 2001 have highlighted the urgency of promoting communication between civilisations and societies, especially the youth of the Islamic World and the United States. INLAC was founded as a structured forum for such a communication through both academic and cultural channels.
INLAC is a private non-profit institute which is accredited by the Moroccan Ministry of Higher Education. It welcomes students from top International, American and European universities and offers a combination of courses, seminars and homestay in a unique environment. Its facilities include a modern library, seminar and screening rooms, and a computer language lab, as well as offices for program directors, faculty, and staff.
INLAC is located in the twelve-centuries old Medina of Fez which boasts Al-Qarawiyyin University, the oldest university in the Islamic world. As such, the Institute combines the quality of courses with the essence of the place. Alongside the credit courses, the Institute brings together academics, theologians, politicians, and social activists to discuss the urgent issues of our time. These range from new divinities, inter-religious, and inter-cultural dialogue to conflict resolution, youth concerns, development, human rights, social justice and much more.
INLAC is proud to be a beacon of cross-cultural understanding that fits very well with what Fez, an ancestral Islamic city, stands for. The Institute does not only teach students but it seeks to break ignorance and taboo through immersing them in the insights and wisdom of the great 14th century scholars like Maimonides, Aurillac, and Ibn Khaldun who, although coming from different horizons and religions, inhabited Fez and worked together.
INLAC adopts an integrational strategy whereby courses, seminars, volunteer work, and university auditioning are combined. Students are therefore expected to participate actively in the learning experience.
INLAC organises research workshops, luncheon seminars, and other forums to encourage new perspectives on the Middle East and North Africa. The events showcase new research by both established and younger scholars and foster discussion of current events and policy issues relating to the region.