On the evening of May 10, 2026, the annual and highly prestigious conference of the Bureau for International Language Coordination (BILC) was officially launched with a grand reception at the Bálna building (Fővám tér) in Budapest. Representing the Faculty of Military Sciences and Officer Training of the Ludovika University of Public Service (FMSOT), Col. Dr. Ferenc Petruska, International Vice-Dean, and Dr. Gabriella Kiss, Head of the Foreign Language Training Centre (FLTC), welcomed the international delegation of 103 invited guests.
The professional week, taking place between May 10 and 15, marks a special milestone: this year we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of BILC. Established in 1966 by the USA, the UK, France, Germany, and Italy, the Bureau serves as NATO’s primary advisory body for language training and testing. It is a matter of immense pride that Hungary joined the organization exactly 25 years ago, simultaneous with our accession to NATO. All NATO member states have voting rights in the BILC Steering Committee, while Partnership for Peace (PfP), Mediterranean Dialogue (MD), and Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) nations, along with NATO bodies (SHAPE, IMS), can participate in the events. The primary mission of BILC is to promote interoperability among these countries, standardize language training and testing (STANAG 6001), harmonize language policies, and share best practices.
Jointly hosted by the Ministry of Defence (HM HOKTF), the FMSOT Foreign Language Training Centre (FLTC), and HM Zrínyi Nonprofit Ltd., this Budapest conference is of monumental importance for Hungarian military higher education and defense leadership.
The annual BILC Conference is the most significant forum of the advisory body. The current event brings together representatives from 39 nations (1-5 delegates per nation), totaling 103 participants. We are particularly pleased to welcome delegates from Ukraine and Georgia, alongside overseas partner nations such as Canada and Argentina. Given that the participants are predominantly senior military leaders and ministerial decision-makers, the conference offers an exceptional opportunity to deepen decades-long partnerships based on established "best practices."
Hungary has previously hosted BILC events on two occasions, in 2006 and 2016. Our seminar ten years ago, titled "Authenticity in Training and Testing," saw the participation of 77 delegates from 29 countries.
The objective of the current main conference—running from May 10 to 15—is to explore the implementation and challenges of modern language training, testing, and educational strategies. Acting as the host for such a broad-spectrum international platform significantly enhances the internationalization and reputation of FMSOT and the Ministry of Defence. This prestige will directly contribute to making the language training and testing conducted within our own institutions even more effective and widely recognized, providing a worthy celebration of BILC’s 60th anniversary.