The High Tech Campus in Eindhoven has been called the smartest square kilometre in Europe. To make the area even smarter, Language Institute Regina Coeli (“the Nuns of Vught”) will be kicking off Dutch courses on location as of January 2023. The aim is to make learning the language and culture more accessible for the many expats - and their partners - who live and work in the Brainport region.
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Expats generally do not need to speak Dutch to do their jobs. English nearly always does the trick. Yet speaking Dutch can be an important factor when it comes to feeling at home in Noord-Brabant. Speaking Dutch helps when it comes to connecting with Dutch people and Dutch institutions and better understanding Dutch culture.
Regina Coeli has given Dutch courses on the High Tech Campus before, to the great satisfaction of the students and their employers. They gave the courses an average score of 8,7. Unfortunately, COVID-19 forced the language institute to put those group training sessions on hold. But now that we can meet again, new rounds of language training courses are starting!
Regina Coeli’s course offering consists of the group training courses “Social Dutch” and “Dutch@Work”. Both courses focus on the use of language in practical, everyday situations. The Dutch@Work programme zooms in on situations at work, including chatting with colleagues at the coffee machine, talking about your work and background, and even talking about the weekend.
The courses are delivered by Regina Coeli trainers. They normally teach at the language institute in Vught, which is particularly well-known for its intensive language training courses. Students often spend their working week with “the Nuns” so they can fully focus on the task at hand. That way, they can rapidly master the language. They often need to do so because they need to travel abroad for work or do a lot of business across borders.
As for the training courses in Eindhoven, students can attend class right after work. With two training sessions a week for six weeks, you can call that intensive training as well!
As a beta student, you really have what it takes to learn a foreign language! First of all, you are good at structuring, logic and identifying patterns. Secondly, you know how to test your product or programme to make it better.
If you understand the logic of a language, you don't need to memorise anything. Why should you memorise endless vocabulary lists, when you already recognise a lot of words from another language, and you already know how words are generally used in Dutch? From a noun, the adjective and verb forms can usually be derived relatively quickly.
The formula for constructing a Dutch sentence is different from that of an English sentence. But it is still a formula! Once you know it, all you have to do is fill in the variables and you're there! Try to create an overview for yourself and ask why something is the way it is. Once you understand that, you won’t forget it.
When you develop something new, you start testing parts of a product or programme quite early in the process. This provides you with valuable feedback that helps you to make improvements, and it works in exactly the same way when learning a language. Does the cashier in the supermarket understand you? How does your colleague react when you say “Goedemorgen”?
The great thing about language is that you get feedback from the people around you automatically. You can always practise…provided you have enough native speakers around you. By testing your language skills in this way, you can improve little by little every day!
For more information about the Dutch lessons at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven or in Vught, you can call +31 (0)73 - 6848790 or email Language Institute Regina Coeli.