“CLIQ – Certificazione Lingua Italiana di Qualità” (Quality Italian Language Certification) is the new acronym – created today – that is set to revolutionise the certification of Italian language learning abroad.
Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi himself announced the new unified certification system that will provide Italy with a linguistic quality mark that can be clearly identified by foreigners wishing to study Italian.
The initiative was officially launched today, 6 February 2013, at the Farnesina, at the end of a meeting between Terzi and representatives of the four bodies responsible for certifying Italian language skills for foreigners. Those present included Giovanni Paciullo, Deputy Chancellor of the University for Foreigners in Perugia; Massimo Vedovelli, Chancellor of the University for Foreigners in Siena; Guido Fabiani, Chancellor of the Università degli Studi Roma Tre; and Alessandro Masi, Secretary General of the Dante Alighieri Society.
“It is thanks to the common commitment of the Foreign Ministry and the four bodies concerned” – underscored Minister Terzi – “that it was possible to create the new certificate”.
The new system is in line with the technical standards set by the Council of Europe as part of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). It complies with the best international practice in language certification and provides a solution to the problem of fragmentation of the study courses on offer to students of Italian worldwide.
“Our embassies, consulates and Italian Cultural Institutes are ready to help disseminate CLIQ as broadly as possible in their countries. The Ministry and the CLIQ Association have signed a specific agreement to this end”.
For the United States, a “market” where demand for Italian language-learning is growing, the new certificate can be issued to students passing the Advanced Placement Program (APP) Italian exam. This enables students to obtain credits in advance, which can be “spent” in major universities in America and elsewhere. A model that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs intends to encourage in all schools worldwide where Italian is taught.
