'The Italian Cultural Institute is proud to sponsor the European Award for Languages 2008, which recognises creative ways to improve the quality of language taching, motivate students and make the best of available resourses. This Istitute appreciates the importance of language skills and cultual understanding in the world today and is keen to help identify examples of good practice in the UK'.

The Italian Cultural Institute (Instituto Italiano di Cultura) is the cultural office of the Italian Embassy and is the official Italian government agency for the promotion of cultural exchanges between Britain and Italy. The IIC promotes the Italian language by running language courses at all levels for adults; organising seminars, INSET and Open Days for Italian language teachers. It also offer scholarships and grants to undergraduate and postgraduate students of Italian and to teachers. The Institute also hosts lectures, exhibitions and concerts.