[1] The IEC is one of a number of cultural and scientific institutions created at that time to lend greater prestige to the Catalan language and culture; others include the Biblioteca de Catalunya (Library of Catalonia), the Escola Industrial (Industrial School), the Hiking Club of Catalonia, the Escola Superior de Belles Arts (Higher School of Fine Arts) and the Escola del Treball (School of Labour), el Centre de Recerca Matemàtica.
Along with Pompeu Fabra, the Philological Section worked to establish a series of spelling norms that were approved by members in 1913.
Similarly, in 1917, the Diccionari Ortogràfic de l'Institut was published; it soon became a dictionary of spelling norms irredeemably tied to the reputation of former Institute Director Pompeu Fabra.
Officially the IEC provides standards for the language as a whole: the Philological Section has members from Catalonia proper, Northern Catalonia (located in France), the Balearic Islands, Valencia, Alghero in Sardinia and the Principality of Andorra (the only country where Catalan is the sole official language).
Notable members of the Philological Section include Josep Carner, Àngel Guimerà, Joan Maragall, and Aina Moll Marquès.
Under this initiative, a management committee consisting of members of various institutions in Catalan-speaking areas was responsible for steering the founding process.