STE Languages: Become part of their international community!

Let’s start with some impressive numbers showing the growth of STE Languages into an international community:

• For the first time in STE Languages' history, more than 2.000 international students were welcomed in the first quarter of this year alone. For comparison: in the whole of 2022 there were a total of 4.000 students, and in 2021 there were 3.000.
• Students can turn to STE Languages for more than 10 languages, but Dutch, English and German are the most frequently requested languages.
• At STE Languages’ main location on Aalsterweg in Eindhoven, where the Open Enrolment courses are organised, more than 90 different nationalities and cultures come together in harmony.
• In addition to STE Languages' main location, lessons are given in more and more locations across the country - now at more than 50 sites in the Netherlands.

Wilfried Gradus and Mathilde Lageman, owners of STE Languages, say: “One of the reasons for the strong growth is the internationalisation of the region. However, also the fact that more and more companies realise that due to the increasing cultural diversity in their workforce, good communication in the workplace is of great importance. Good communication benefits cooperation, safety and productivity”.

Become part of STE Languages' growing international community!

Face to face & online

STE Languages courses can be followed face to face and online. Students have access to an online portal (My STE). In this advanced environment, their own learning performance is visible as a "learning journey”. In addition, the portal contains extensive supporting teaching materials.

Wilfried Gradus and Mathilde Lageman: “We want to respond as well as possible to the needs of students. An important aspect is that language lessons must be fun, refreshing and distinctive. Students can use course books, lesson plans, e-learning, podcasts and micro-learning online. The portal and the comprehensive content add value to blended learning and make us distinctive in the market.”

In-company language training

As well as their regular language courses, STE Languages also provides in-company language training for companies and organisations such as Randstad Group, Jumbo Supermarkets, CAN-PACK, Van Geloven, DAF and Arrow.

For these customers, a special tailor-made course "Dutch in the workplace" is being put together. The focus of these training courses is to improve employees’ overall language ability. The themes that will be covered include dealing with colleagues, the workplace, rules at work, reporting sick, giving and receiving feedback, and safety.

An overview of all the training locations in the Netherlands can be found on the STE Languages website:

Micro-learning with the STE Languages podcast series

Micro-learning (or “learning snacks”) is the transfer of knowledge such as grammar in a powerful and entertaining way. The STE Languages podcast series is an example of this and is called “Internationals on living in Holland”. It can be found on Spotify as well as heard on Radio 4 Brainport.

Radio 4 Brainport broadcasts an English language programme 24 hours a day with music, news, cultural information, science and technology for the international community in the Brainport region.

STE Languages’ digital portfolio is being developed in collaboration with online training provider SkillsTown.

A community: Events and meetings

For several months now, STE Languages has been further meeting its international students’ needs by setting up a “community”. A survey among students showed that there is a lot of interest in mutual connection and getting to know Dutch culture through events and meetings. To manage this properly, a community manager was appointed at the end of last year.

Wilfried Gradus and Mathilde Lageman: “The Eindhoven region (Brainport) is a growing international region. STE Languages has students from more than 90 different countries. STE Languages’ mission is to make students feel as much at home as possible. We want to contribute to the retention of international employees, welcoming newcomers and making them feel happy”.

The first events have now been held and have mobilised many internationals. After the success of the Winter Party and the Carnival event, the STE Community organised a King's Day Pub Quiz on April 26. During the Pub Quiz, led by a professional Quiz Master, various topics about King's Day were presented in a light-hearted way. The international community’s general knowledge of the Netherlands and the Royal Family was also tested.

A follow-up event, Dutch Business Culture with Esther Janssen, founder and director of Culture-Inc. (a leading cross-cultural training and consultancy agency in the Netherlands) and author of the book Doing Business From Here to Tokyo, will take place on June 29.

Join the STE Languages community!

STE Languages is actively evolving. With a team of 25 employees, more than 100 teachers, and students from all over the world, STE Languages is building a bright future. Join them now!