Instituto Cultural Domínico Americano

Name

Instituto Cultural Domínico Americano

Legal name

Instituto Cultural Domínico Americano

Website

https://www.icda.edu.do

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational services

NAICS

Language Schools (611630), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

English Language Schools (ESL/EFL) (EDAIAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bilingual & Language-Immersion Early Learning Academies (EDACADAG), English Learner (EL/ESL/ELL) & Bilingual Education Programs (EDAJAGAB)

Keywords

• English language education
• Bilingual K-12 schooling
• Higher education programs
• Cultural arts training
• Standardized test administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Santo Domingo

HQ country

Dominican Republic

HQ region

Latin America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. University Education: Higher education programs at UNICDA including undergraduate degrees, postgraduate programs, continuing education, and Teachers Development Center.
2. Language School: English as a second language programs and Spanish for foreigners programs. Also offers specialized programs like English Immersion for Competitiveness (MESCYT partnership).
3. K-12 Education: Preschool (from age 2), elementary, and secondary education through Domínico Americano School and Preschool.
4. Cultural Programs: Cultural programs including Theater Taller, Art and Culture School, Culinary Space, mixed and male choirs, and exhibition hall. Programs include short courses, workshops, and diplomas.
5. Testing Services: Prometric testing center administering over 150 exams including TOEFL, GRE, USMLE, PMI, ICMA certifications. Revenue from exam registration fees.
6. EducationUSA Advisory Services: Free advisory services for students seeking US higher education, sponsored by US State Department.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Instituto Cultural Dom\u00ednico Americano (ICDA) is a binational Dominican-American educational and cultural institution offering a vertically integrated bilingual (English-Spanish) educational ecosystem spanning preschool (ages 2+), K-12 schooling, university undergraduate and postgraduate programs, language instruction, cultural arts and culinary training, standardized testing administration, and U.S. higher-education advisory services. The institution operates the Universidad Dom\u00ednico Americano (UNICDA), the Escuela de Idiomas, the Colegio Dom\u00ednico Americano, the Preschool, the Escuela de Arte y Cultura, the Espacio Culinario, the Centro Prometric, the EducationUSA advisory center, and the Biblioteca Lincoln across 11 Dominican Republic locations.

Product overview

The Instituto Cultural Domínico Americano (ICDA) is a binational Dominican-American educational and cultural institution founded in 1947, offering a multi-level portfolio of educational and cultural products and services across six main divisions. The core educational offerings consist of UNICDA (the university with undergraduate, postgraduate, continuing education, and Teachers Development Center), the Escuela de Idiomas (language school with English and Spanish programs across multiple campuses), the Domínico Americano School (K-12 college), and the Domínico Americano Preschool (ages 2+). Supporting the educational mission are the Biblioteca Lincoln (library with electronic resources), the EducationUSA Advisory Center, and the Centro Prometric (standardized testing center). The cultural portfolio includes the Escuela de Arte y Cultura and Espacio Culinario (offering diplomas, courses, and workshops in arts, design, cinema, theater, and gastronomy), the Domínico Americano Podcast and Playlist (digital content for English practice), the Teatro Taller, Coral Mixta, and Coro Masculino Julio Alberto Hernández (performing arts programs), plus the rented venues Auditorium Patrick N. Hughson and Exhibition Hall. Digital offerings include the Dominic virtual assistant (AI-powered chatbot) and The Book Exchange Box reading incentive program. All divisions share the common mission of fostering bilingual competence in English and Spanish and strengthening Dominican-American cultural ties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UNICDA: Universidad Domínico Americano - university-level institution offering undergraduate, graduate, continuing education programs and Teachers Development Center
• Domínico Americano School
• Domínico Americano Preschool
• Biblioteca Lincoln
• EducationUSA Center
• Auditorio Patrick N. Hughson
• Domínico Americano Podcast
• Domínico Americano Playlist
• American Film Festival
• Dominic

Products and services

• Universidad Dom\u00ednico Americano (UNICDA) University division offering undergraduate degree programs, postgraduate programs, continuing education, and the Teachers Development Center. Targeted at students seeking bilingual higher-education credentials for professional mobility.
• Escuela de Idiomas (Language School) Language school providing English as a second language programs, Spanish as a foreign language programs, immersion courses, and test preparation across the main Santo Domingo campus and 10 extension campuses. Targeted at learners of all ages seeking English or Spanish proficiency.
• Colegio Dom\u00ednico Americano (K-12 School) Primary and secondary (K-12) bilingual school offering a balanced educational program with English instruction while preserving Spanish language and Dominican culture. Targeted at Dominican families seeking bilingual schooling.
• Dom\u00ednico Americano Preschool Preschool education program for children from 2 years of age, providing early bilingual instruction within ICDA's K-12 educational pathway.
• Escuela de Arte y Cultura (School of Arts and Culture) Arts and culture school offering multidisciplinary training programs for children, adolescents, and adults in fine arts, photography, cinema, fashion design, interior design, graphic design, theater, creative writing, and professional diplomas. Targeted at hobbyists and aspiring creative professionals.
• Espacio Culinario (Culinary Space) Culinary training center offering short courses, workshops, professional diplomas, summer camps (such as 'S\u00ed Chef! Cocineros del Mundo'), and couple cooking experiences in culinary arts. Targeted at gastronomy enthusiasts and aspiring culinary professionals.
• Centro Prometric (Prometric Testing Center) Prometric and ETS testing center administering over 150 standardized exams including TOEFL-IBT, GRE, USMLE, PMI, ICMA, TOEIC, and EXADEP. Targeted at candidates preparing for study abroad or professional certification.
• EducationUSA Advisory Center U.S. State Department EducationUSA advising center providing free services including accurate information on studying at U.S. accredited institutions, individual and group advising, support for U.S. universities organizing fairs, and workshops on U.S. higher education. Targeted at Dominican students seeking U.S. study opportunities.
• Auditorio Patrick N. Hughson (Patrick N. Hughson Auditorium) 356-seat theater and event auditorium with technical equipment and side tables at each seat, suitable for concerts, theater, ballet, graduations, seminars, conferences, and corporate events. Available for rental.
• Sal\u00f3n de Exposiciones (Exhibition Hall) Exhibition hall with capacity for over 100 people, climate control, and movable partition panels. Has hosted exhibitions by prominent artists including C\u00e1ndido Bid\u00f3, Elsa N\u00fa\u00f1ez, and Guillo P\u00e9rez. Available for rental.
• Diplomado Programs (Continuing Education Diplomas) Professional diploma programs covering Interior Design Decoration, Visual Arts History, Intensive Film Costume Design, Basic Pastry, Basic Gourmet Cooking, Artisan Bakery, Dominican Cooking, and Wedding Planning. Targeted at adult learners seeking professional credentials in creative industries.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 25 years of university education with 25th anniversary celebrated in 2026
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• ManpowerGroupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026Collaboration on reforestation jornada in San Cristóbal, demonstrating corporate social responsibility engagement.
• Bellas Artes (Ministry of Culture)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2025Cultural alliance between ICDA and Bellas Artes for culture and education, announced in October 2025.
• MESCYT (Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 August 2025Government partnership providing 110 national scholarships to UNICDA students with focus on STEM careers. Also partner for English Immersion Program for Competitiveness.
• SIT World LearningminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2025Partnership for Professional Development Week under the Boosting English program, along with the US Embassy, focusing on English teaching methodology and professional development for educators.
• Embassy of the United States in Santo DomingocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 October 2022Launched Servimos Unidos program in October 2022 to promote volunteerism and community service through culture and arts. The Embassy collaborates with ICDA on American Film Festival, Professional Development Week (with SIT World Learning), and other cultural exchange initiatives. The partnership includes US State Department support for EducationUSA center and eLibraryUSA resources.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Centro Colombo Americano: Binational Colombian-American cultural and educational institution offering English language programs, K-12, and cultural activities in Bogotá. Operates under a near-identical binational model with US Embassy ties, EducationUSA presence, and similar multi-unit structure.
• Instituto Cultural Mexicano Americano de Relaciones Culturales: Binational Mexican-American institution offering English instruction, cultural programs, and library services. Closely mirrors ICDA's binational charter, ESL focus, and US cultural exchange mandate.
• International House Worldwide: Network of 150+ independent language schools teaching English and other languages globally. Directly comparable to ICDA's Escuela de Idiomas in target customer (adult language learners) and teacher-training methodology.

Broad incumbents

• Alliance Française: Global network of 800+ French cultural and language centers operating under a binational government-sponsored model. Comparable to ICDA in structure and mission (language instruction + cultural diplomacy), though substantially larger and operating worldwide.
• British Council: UK government-backed organization teaching English and running cultural programs in 100+ countries. Closest institutional analogue to ICDA in terms of binational cultural diplomacy mandate and English-teaching mission.
• Berlitz Corporation: Global language instruction chain operating 350+ centers worldwide, including the Caribbean. Comparable to ICDA's Language School division in product offering (immersive language instruction), though Berlitz is a for-profit commercial chain.
• EF Education First: Largest private English language education company globally with 600+ schools and language immersion programs. Competes with ICDA for adult and student English learners in the Caribbean and Latin America, though at a much larger scale.

Regional players

• Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM): Largest private university in the Dominican Republic with multi-campus operations. Competes with UNICDA for university students in the same geography, though focused on broader academic programs rather than bilingual English-medium instruction.
• Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE): Major private university in Santo Domingo with multiple campuses and international partnerships. Competes with UNICDA in the DR higher-education market, particularly for students seeking internationally-oriented degrees.
• Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC): Private Dominican university with strong STEM focus and STEM scholarship programs comparable to MESCYT-funded UNICDA offerings. Competes directly with UNICDA's STEM tracks and technical degrees in the DR market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ElDominico
• Facebookfacebook.com/DominicoAmericano

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Instituto Cultural Domínico Americano