FACT SHEET
Media Contact:
Allison Trepod
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 703-696-1991
May 2012
What is The Language Flagship?
The Language Flagship is a national effort to change the way American students learn languages
through a groundbreaking approach to foreign language education. Designed as a network of
programs, The Flagship community is made up of 26 domestic Flagship centers and programs at
institutions of higher education, 10 overseas programs, and three K–12 programs. The program
leads the nation in designing, supporting, and implementing a new paradigm for advanced
language education. As an innovative partnership across the federal government, education, and
business sectors, The Language Flagship graduates students with a superior level of proficiency in
languages critical to U.S. competitiveness and security, who will take their place among the next
generation of global professionals.
What do we do?
The Language Flagship Centers and Programs offer students intensive language instruction to
enhance their academic degrees through the systematized training that enables them to achieve
superior-level foreign language proficiency and cultural competency. The Language Flagship
efforts are focused on undergraduate education, and include periods of rigorous language and
cultural domestic training, followed by directed immersion at overseas Flagship Centers. The
Language Flagship also funds a select number of graduate programs, and pilot K–12 foreign
language programs designed to provide articulated pathways for language proficiency
attainment for students at all levels.
How is The Language Flagship different from other university language programs?
Our program is unique because it offers:
 Intensive domestic language and culture instruction, including traditional classroom instruction,
formal group training, individual tutoring and other innovative learning interventions for all
students.
 Program design that provides the opportunity to attain professional-level language
proficiency alongside a non-language academic major of students’ choosing.
 Advanced in-country language instruction through long- term cultural immersion experiences
overseas, where students attend foreign universities and institutions, and direct enroll in courses
relevant to their academic major.
 Overseas language intensive professional internships through our network of local businesses,
international corporations and non-governmental organizations, who have partnered with our
overseas Flagship Centers.
Web address: www.thelanguageflagship.org
What foreign languages do The Language Flagship programs support?
All Flagship languages are selected based on their designation as critical needs languages by the
federal government, these critical languages include: Arabic, Chinese, combined Hindi Urdu,
Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Swahili and Turkish.
2012 Overview of Language Flagship Institutional Programs
Program-Wide:
Number, Language and Type:
26 Domestic Flagship Centers
5 Undergraduate Arabic Centers
9 Undergraduate Chinese Centers
3 Chinese Pilot Flagship/ROTC Centers
1 Undergraduate Hindi Urdu Center
1 Korean Undergraduate Center
1 Persian Undergraduate Center
1 Portuguese Undergraduate Center
4 Undergraduate Russian Centers
1 Undergraduate Swahili Center
1 Undergraduate Turkish Center
*One combined Chinese Flagship & Flagship/
ROTC program brings the count down to 26
10 Overseas Flagship Centers
1 Undergraduate Arabic Center
1 Undergraduate Chinese Center
2 Undergraduate Hindi Urdu Centers
1 Undergraduate Korean Center
1 Undergraduate Persian Center
1 Undergraduate Portuguese Center
1 Undergraduate Russian Center
1 Undergraduate Swahili Center
1 Undergraduate Turkish Center
3 Domestic K–12 Flagship Programs
1 K–12 Arabic Flagship Program
2 K–12 Chinese Flagship Programs
2012 Language Flagship Domestic and Overseas Programs
Arabic
Chinese Flagship/ROTC
Portuguese
Michigan State University
University of Georgia, Athens
Arizona State University
University of Maryland,
Georgia Institute of Technology São Paulo State University,
College Park
Brazil
North Georgia State College
University of Michigan, Ann
and University
Arbor
Russian
University of Oklahoma
Bryn Mawr College
Hindi/Urdu
University of Texas, Austin
Portland State University
Alexandria University, Egypt*1 University of Texas, Austin
University of California, Los
Jaipur Hindi Center, India*
Damascus University, Syria*1
Angeles
Lucknow Urdu Center, India*
University of Wisconsin,
Chinese
Madison
Korean
Arizona State University
Saint Petersburg State
Brigham Young University
University, Russia*1
University of Hawai’i, Mānoa
Hunter College
Korea University, South Korea*
Indiana University
Swahili
San Francisco State University Persian
Indiana University
University of Mississippi
University of Maryland, College State University of Zanzibar,
University of Oregon
Park
Tanzania*1
University of Rhode Island
Tajik State National University,
Western Kentucky University Tajikistan*1
Turkish
Nanjing University, China*2
Indiana University
* Overseas Flagship Center
1 Managed by the American Councils on International Education
2 Managed by Brigham Young University and the American Councils on International Education