TOP > Corporate and Group Information > Business Fields > Language/Global Leadership Training
Berlitz International, Inc.
"Globalization" is the watchword in today's world. Increasingly, corporate employees need to be capable of more than simply speaking a foreign language; they need to be able to understand the different values encountered around the world, and have the kind of global approach that enables them to perform irrespective of the country or the language they are working in.
For many years, Benesse Corporation has operated a language business, centering on Berlitz International, Inc., which offers private language lessons in over 70 countries around the world. The Company has recently been bolstering its range of products and services using internet technology in order to cater to the increasingly high demand expected for language instruction. The aim is to put in place the infrastructure to offer services anywhere in the world 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Benesse is also actively targeting the new business opportunities offered by emerging economies such as China and India.
In recent years, with globalization well and truly under way, businesses have been faced with the crucial issue of how to cultivate global leaders. Benesse has responded to this trend by moving beyond the boundaries of language education to bolster its provision of business skills training-related products and services by improving existing offerings, and developing new ones. In this way, it is extending the scope of its support services into the field of corporate human resources training. Benesse will collaborate more closely with Berlitz International, corporate business partners and universities to offer comprehensive solutions in global leadership training encompassing everything from language study to intercultural business skills.
With demand for overseas study increasing year by year, Berlitz International supports students planning to study abroad through its network of ELS schools in 12 countries worldwide. Hitherto the ELS business has focused particularly on students heading to U.S. universities, but in future we intend to offer a full program of support for students planning to study in higher education institutions in Australia, Canada, the U.K. and elsewhere.
At Benesse we want as many as possible of our customers to be able to perform internationally. That is why Benesse aims to be the world's leading educational service provider, helping both students and corporate employees to develop a global outlook and skills.
Simul International, Inc.
Established in 1965, at a time when Japan was on a mission to "internationalize," Simul International, Inc. comprised Japan's first group of interpreters catering to world-class conferences. Ever since then, the company's professional language expertise has enabled it to offer high-quality services to support its clients in communicating internationally.
It was in 1969, when man first set foot on the moon, that the general public came to appreciate the importance of interpreting and how useful it can be. That was the point at which Simul became known as the interpreting provider within Japan. The Japanese people were able to understand the stirring words spoken by Neil Armstrong, mission commander of the Apollo 11, in real time thanks to words relayed by a simultaneous interpreter from Simul.
In 1980 the company set up the Simul Academy as an educational institution to train interpreters and translators. Subsequently, in 1991, Simul responded to the increase in demand for human resource training accompanying Japan's "internationalization" by launching language training services for corporations. This enabled the company to contribute to cultivating the globally-oriented personnel needed in every field of international endeavor, including politics, the economy and culture.
Simul later expanded its scope of operations, establishing Simul Business Communications, Inc. as a personnel agency specializing in linguists, and Simul Technical Communications, Inc. as a specialist in simultaneous interpreting equipment. Meanwhile, Simul also contributed actively to the development of the interpreting and translation industry as a whole, helping to set up an NPO, the Center for Advancement of Interpreting Skills.
The Simul Group is currently striving to become known for its expertise in global communications, rather than interpreting alone. Simul started off by providing interpreting services for governmental and other public bodies, but since then it has responded to the diversifying needs of a broad variety of clients of all types and in all fields from global enterprises to universities and other educational institutions. Offering interpreting, translation, introduction and placement of personnel, management of international conferences and language training, among other services, the company has consistently sought out new opportunities in innovative communication-related services.
Our overriding desire is to enable language barriers to be transcended so that people and countries understand each other. That is why we help our clients to accurately communicate what they want to say.
At Simul we aim to play a key role in today's globalizing world by forging bonds between people and between countries.
