About the FLI

As Southwest Missouri is transforming into a more socially and economically diverse metropolitan region in the early 21st century, language education and training have become crucial elements in Missouri State University's focus on public affairs and its efforts to increase cultural competence.

On September 17, 2012, Missouri State University Interim President Clif Smart and his counterparts at Evangel University, Drury University, Southwest Baptist University, and Ozarks Technical Community College signed an agreement to create the Foreign Language Institute (FLI). This marked the culmination of several years of collaborative discussion and planning. In August 2015 Baptist Bible College joined the Foreign Language Institute. In May 2019, Drury University concluded its partnership with the FLI, allowing students to continue enrolling in FLI courses through other institutions and to transfer those credits via transcript.

Foreign language institute language learners in the classroom

As of 2019, the Foreign Language Institute is a Missouri State-led partnership among five Springfield-area institutions of higher learning. Its purpose is to expand opportunities for students at all of the partner schools and in the broader community to learn languages, particularly those identified as critical or "less commonly taught" languages. Although most area schools are able to offer robust language programs in Spanish and French, many cannot offer courses in other languages because of low enrollments or the lack of faculty resources. The Foreign Language Institute will allow the partner schools to combine students and to share instructional resources, such as faculty and facilities, thus saving money and making it possible to offer collaboratively many languages that could otherwise not be offered.

Foreign Language Institute courses will be held in the Jim D. Morris Center in downtown Springfield. Languages offered by the Institute include Arabic, Chinese, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Swahili.

Our mission

The mission of the Foreign Language Institute is to provide high-quality language instruction and training to a diverse group of learners.

Goals of the Institute:

  • Provide quality education to prepare culturally competent individuals for life and work in the world, where communication with people of other cultures and languages is becoming increasingly important.
  • Support implementation of Missouri State University’s public affairs mission and its long-range plan to promote ethical leadership, cultural competence and community engagement.
  • Expand opportunities for students at all of the partner schools and in the broader community to learn languages, particularly those identified as critical or “less commonly taught” languages.
  • Develop innovative formats and delivery modes in language education and training.
  • Collaborate with other area higher education institutions.
  • Collaborate with community partners to provide language training for workforce development.