Language and information technology school, translation office
About Us
Glossa school, active since 1992, is situated in a marvellous lake setting where the town of Ascona lies, with a relaxing panorama and an atmosphere conducive to studying. We will make sure you are guided and helped until you reach your pre-set objectives. Ours is a language school with teaching for everyone and a large variety of languages can be learned.
The word Glossa comes from Greek and means “tongue”, an unknown word that needs to be explained, and this is the vocation of the school: to unveil to the students the ysteries of foreign languages.
The Director of the school is Professor Dragana Kojic Maltecca, ready to transmit to her students optimism, joy, and serenity in learning languages.
PROF. DR. DRAGANA KOJIC MALTECCA, director
- Academic degrees in Russian, German, Italian and in the history of Russian, German and Italian art and literature from the Faculty of Philology in Belgrade
- Professor and Doctor in the history of Russian and German literature and art
- Professor and Doctor of the Italian language
- Academic degree in educational psychology and philosophy
- Diploma in business economy
- Federal professional certificate in the training of educators
- Multi-year marketing seminars
- Language teacher since 1983
- Nominated German teacher in secondary schools and high schools in the canton of Ticino
- Director of Glossa Ltd Language and Information Technology School and Translation Office, in Ascona since 1992
- Teaching experience: state secondary schools in Serbia, various professional schools in Germany, Italy and Russia, secondary schools and various private schools in the canton of Ticino
- Teaching of preschool children, middle school and secondary school students, persons with various disabilities, prisoners, drug addicts, unemployed persons and persons collecting disability insurance, senior citizens, teaching staff in training, personnel of firms, banks, insurance companies
- Sworn and recognized federal and international simultaneous and consecutive translator
- Responsible for the organization of courses requested by the canton
- Certificate for advising people in unemployment situations
- Certificate of trainer of apprentices and trainees in business
A PROFESSION BY VOCATION
A life for variety
Overview
Multitasking has a name: Dragana Kojic Maltecca.
The 67-year-old director of the language school in Ascona has eyes and ears everywhere. Nothing escapes her. During the interview—interrupted from time to time—she still manages to keep everything under control. She notices her secretary’s movements and the unanswered question. Yes, the new students who have just arrived have already filled out the form, she nods to confirm. Then she resumes the interview without needing to think about where she left off. Determined and extremely sharp: this is Dragana Kojic Maltecca.
Integration
In 1983, the Serbian-born woman, who speaks Russian, German, and Italian, studied Russian, German, and Italian literature and art history, educational psychology, philosophy, and business administration in Switzerland. Not because she was forced to leave her homeland, but because she wanted to. “In the Yugoslavia of that time, there was no future.”
Before starting her career, she first returned through the then common seasonal work. However, she never intended to become a day laborer. Thanks to her language skills and her open personality, she quickly found her place.
Fulfilment
Until she obtained her permanent residence permit, she worked in the hospitality sector. Then she fulfilled her dream: teaching languages. In 1992, the naturalized Swiss citizen opened her school in Ascona.
It is no surprise that she called it Glossa: the Greek word for “language.” Success came quickly. But Dragana Kojic Maltecca would never think of resting on her laurels. She keeps up with the times, constantly expanding her offer.
In addition to languages, she now also offers IT courses and coaching. In the meantime, Glossa has also made a name for itself as a translation agency.
Main Article
Next year, the language and IT school, as well as the translation agency Glossa Sagl on Via Muraccio in Ascona, will celebrate their 35th anniversary.
This is due to the tireless commitment of its founder and director, Dragana Kojic Maltecca. She has made the school eduQua-certified—the leading Swiss quality label for continuing education providers, promoting transparency and quality—what it is today: a recognized examination center offering several internationally recognized certificates in the fields of languages, IT, and adult education, including CELI (Certificate of Knowledge of the Italian Language), TELC (The European Language Certificates) for various European languages, and IT diplomas from FSEA (Swiss Federation for Adult Learning).
The broad and constantly expanding offer includes, for example, remedial lessons for students of all levels, language and IT courses for all age groups, integration and reintegration courses supported by the Canton of Ticino for migrants and unemployed individuals, coaching holidays at Villa Armonia in Calabria, and much more. The full program can be found at glossa.ch.
Expansion
Dragana Kojic Maltecca’s team currently consists of 15 part-time staff members.
“And we are there for our students seven days a week,” she says. “Even online.”
The director, who runs the school with great taste in an elegant two-and-a-half-room apartment, warmly greets two language students and points them to an empty room. “It’s a bit small here,” she laughs. “But soon this problem will be solved. If everything goes according to plan, we will inaugurate our second location in Riazzino in June.”
She is looking forward to it, this self-confident businesswoman who is also familiar with the darker sides of life.
Commitment
Twenty-two years ago, her then eighteen-year-old son, Vanja, lost his life in a car accident. With the support of Igor, her second son, she decided to fulfill the unaccomplished wish of the deceased.
Four years after the tragedy, the indoor skatepark Vanja in Riazzino was inaugurated. “Doing good does you good,” says this energetic woman.
For this reason, among other things, she has also been involved in the association Salvami, an organization that takes care of stray dogs and cats in Calabria.
Once again, the door opens. Teachers and students come and go. For the director too, it is time to do what she loves most: teaching.
YULAI DANIELI, vice director
- Degree in English, Finnish and Hungarian at the Faculty of Modern Foreign Languages and Literatures, University of Bologna
- Erasmus study period at the University of Jyväskylä (Finland), 11 months
- Language and IT teacher at Glossa school since 2012
- Vice Director of the language and IT school and translation office Glossa Sagl in Ascona since 2013
- Quality manager (eduQua certification)
- fide exam coordinator (since 2019)
- Creator of exercises and tasks for fide tests (since 2024)
- Teaching Italian, English and Finnish
- Teaching IT (basics, Office, web, cybersecurity)
- Trainer for teacher training (FSEA Module 1)
- Teaching children, seniors, unemployed and disabled people
- FSEA Module 1 Certificate
- FSEA Module 2 Certificate
- fide certifications (modules: scenario-based teaching, migration and interculturality, L2 didactics)
- TELC examiner for Italian and English exams
- Certified examiner for Italian exams CILS and CELI
- Certified examiner for fide tests (Italian)
- CISCO Systems CCNA1 certificate
- CISCO Systems CCNA2 certificate
- Continuous training in teaching, digital teaching, data protection and fide examiner standardization
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