Studies

Management

The European Center for Language Studies – Miranta Merkouri is run by Mrs. Miranta Merkouri, who went to school at the German School in Athens and is a graduate from the Athens University of Economics (ASOEE) and the Educational Institute in Business Administration.

Following her career as an economist at ETBA bank, Mrs. Merkouri left Greece with a scholarship for Washington D.C., USA to pursue postgraduate studies at George Washington University in Management and Business Administration.

During her extensive residence in the USA she works as an economist in various large corporations; she participates in special educational seminars on business administration conducted by IBM in New York and Los Angeles where she respectively resides; she conducts special training on personal computers at the Ministry of Education’s Center for Bilingual Studies in Washington, D.C.; and participates in specialized methodology seminars and teaching programs through the "Multicultural Career Intern Program", an international educational organization based in Washington, D.C., at which she remains a member of management for three years.

In parallel, she actively participates in the promotion of the positions of the Greek diaspora in Washington, D.C. and the broader area (Virginia και Maryland) as a member of the Greek community and publisher of the first Greek-American newspaper in Washington, D.C. – “The Hellenic Star”.
 

In the context of her artistic interests, during her stay in the USA, Mrs. Merkouri served as an advisor for the “Theatre of Light" in Los Angeles, CA for three years, assuming further responsibilities as a financial director and for four years as a member of the Music Department of the Catholic University in Silverspring, Maryland with higher studies in Opera and Vocal Music.

Upon her return to Greece in 1987, she decides to actively engage in foreign language teaching, first at foreign language schools in Athens and consistently participating in specialized teaching methodology courses in English and German, equally in Athens (PROFILE, ETS, GOETHE INSTITUT) as well as abroad (PILGRIM'S LANGUAGE CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL-ENGLAND).

Her main goal has always been the offering of high standard quality in the foreign language education which is why she founded her own foreign language center in Pirgos, Ilias.

She speaks English, German and French.
 

Facilities

The European Center for Language Studies - Miranta Merkouri was founded in the summer of 1991 and was initially located at an old building, which was fully renovated to fulfill the necessary building qualifications for language schools at Papaflessa 40 Street in Pirgos, Ilias.

A year later, in 1992, in light of the growing number of students and the small-sized classes offered, the European Center for Language Studies - Miranta Merkouri rents out a 2-floor building on Patroklou Street in Pirgos, which it begins to renovate, so as to relocate in September 1993 and live up to the expectations of its selective students and their parents.

Unfortunately, the devastating earthquake of March 26, 1993 completely destroys both buildings and costs the school a financial loss of over €35000 then (unadjusted) right at the beginning of the operation of the European Center for Language Studies.
In spite of the above, within one month, the language school of Mrs. Miranta Merkouri, defying weariness and expenses, temporarily relocates to a ground-level building, specially modified again for the language school specifications, at Deligianni Street in Pirgos and by working double teaching shifts, extended the educational year until the end of June 1993, so that students would not lose their educational year and their smooth lesson flows in English and German.

Furthermore, she finds a semi-ready building at Papaflessa 30 Street, where she still remains located today, and brings a construction crew from Athens, that specializes in modern anti-seismic constructions, and transforms the rooms into a compliant school with European specifications.

The European Center for Language Studies - Miranta Merkouri covers an area today of 650m2 (1st floor, mezzanine, and ground floor) and consists of the management offices, the secretariat, the teacher’s lounge, 16 teaching rooms, a kindergarden room with special educational equipment for the needs of the kindergarden classes (children aged 5-7), a computer room, a show-room, eight bathrooms, and two kitchens. Furthermore, it offers a Teacher’s Lounge, where the staff can constantly get updated in its field, on domestic and international issues, not only on educational material and magazines but also on educational seminars and methodologies. Finally, there is a lending library for its students.
 

Teaching Staff

The European Center for Language Studies MIRANTA MERKOURI at the moment employs ten people who are graduates of Greek universities or international universities and who continue their advanced education on a constant training basis which is standard practice at the European Center for Language Studies – Miranta Merkouri as well as the obligation of the staff based on the contract they sign.

Furthermore, a Secretariat operates full-time so that parents can be accommodated during working hours, regardless of whether the Director is available or in class teaching.

The team of the teachers of the school for the school year 2012-2013.

In the Photo Album which follows, one can clearly recognize the Staff, which was awarded by the Director Mrs. Miranta Merkouri at the end-of the-year closing show for the educational year 2010-11.
 

Establishment-Philosophy

Establishment

The European Center for Language Studies – Miranta Merkouri is an achievement inspired by Miranta Merkouri, who after lengthy studies and a professional career, domestically and abroad, returns dynamically in 1991 to the place of her descent, Pirgos of the Ilia prefecture, to fulfill her goals: to offer her knowledge and extensive experience in the field of foreign language education.

Philosophy

The European Center for Language Studies – Miranta Merkouri bases its operation on three key principles:

• Consistency
• Responsibility
• Discipline for its staff and students

Each language exerts immense influence to the spiritual and general development of people. We think with words and therefore our vocabulary reflects and promotes a system of thinking.

At foreign language schools, with the learning of one or more languages, at the same time we also transmit a new method of thinking to our students; the method of thinking of other people as well as their history, their culture, and civilization, since language is the carrier of culture which aids in the better understanding and communication between people.

With foreign languages, our students become social beings, a part of history, they attach to their existence a deeper meaning, and expand their cultural consciousness by comprehending national consciousness and more.

Therefore by studying the lives of people under the light of their texts, we study the human culture in its most accurate and picturesque form.

We can imagine a multitude of links which connect people and groups which may be spread across a geographical area, however, they share common values, and have adopted the same stance towards the world and life..

This participation in the European Union is what we ensure with the teaching of foreign languages and cultures. The links we mentioned are similar or parallel values and traditions, myths and legends, common ethics, common life stances, common approaches to common visions, common values, common ideals, common aspirations as well as a sharing of cultural heritage which assist in the further convergence of the European Union.

At the European Center for Language Studies – Miranta Merkouri, we are proud because after diligent scholarly research and successful teaching, based on the latest contemporary teaching methods, appropriate for the educational public and for foreign language education, we covered our goals which are demanded by European and International obligations.

The most visible evidence is the successful career path of our students.