Language use at VU Amsterdam

• Parallel language use

  More than 50 native languages are spoken by students and employees at VU Amsterdam. To ensure that we understand one another, we take a considered approach to the principle that, alongside Dutch as the primary language of communication, English is also used. The aim is to ensure that everyone within the VU Amsterdam community can participate equally, with the inclusivity of students and employees taking priority. This also ties in with our vision of seeing linguistic diversity as an enrichment. Although VU Amsterdam aims to be a bilingual university, its administrative language remains Dutch. This means that documents may be translated, but the Dutch version is the authoritative version.

• Bilingual communication

  Communication aimed at all VU Amsterdam students and employees is bilingual (Dutch and English). Communication aimed exclusively at students and/or employees at a deeper level within the organisation (programme, faculty, division or department) is in Dutch and/or English, depending on the composition of the target audience.

• Bilingual conversations

  In multilingual situations, VU Amsterdam aims to encourage parallel language use. This means that participants and guests in a conversation or meeting can choose whether to speak Dutch or English. This does, however, require everyone to have sufficient language skills to understand the other language. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. The advice is therefore to switch to English as the common language only as a second option, as this requires a higher level of language proficiency.

• Bilingual meetings

  In meetings, people often switch to English as soon as one of the participants is an English speaker, but this excludes people who are less proficient in English. Therefore, for meetings and consultations, the advice is: always make clear agreements about language use, either in individual meetings or across a series of meetings. Use the following three-step approach:

  1. The meeting is held in Dutch if all participants are Dutch-speaking;
  2. In meetings with both English- and Dutch-speaking participants, parallel language use is the standard. Parallel language use requires a lower level of language proficiency from participants and guests than speaking in only one of the two languages (Dutch or English).
  3. English is used as the language of the meeting only as a last resort, because this requires a higher level of English proficiency from members and guests and therefore excludes people who do not have B2/C1-level English.

Education

• Language in education

  Students from different backgrounds who come to VU Amsterdam to study should be given every opportunity to develop excellent Dutch and English language skills, as well as the academic skills they need for their future careers. The exchange of academic knowledge across language boundaries is essential in a multilingual and multicultural environment.

• Language assessment

  Students starting a Bachelor’s degree at VU Amsterdam take a Dutch or English language assessment at the start of their programme, which helps them identify areas where they may need to improve their language skills. The language of the assessment depends on the language of instruction of the programme. See: Language proficiency test.

• The mixed classroom

  Many degree programmes, modules and tracks (Bachelor’s and Master’s) are taught in English, and there are many international students. To make teaching enriching and inclusive for VU Amsterdam’s diverse student population, the ‘mixed classroom model’ is encouraged in education. See:

  • VU MIXED model
  • Mixed Classroom in Practice workshops

• Language proficiency of lecturers

  Lecturers are required to meet certain Dutch and English language proficiency standards. All academic staff who teach in English must obtain a C1-level certificate.

Language proficiency

• Promoting language proficiency

  VU Amsterdam considers it important to promote Dutch language proficiency among international students and employees. After all, we are embedded in Dutch society, and language proficiency will support the integration of international students and employees. In addition, Dutch-speaking employees need to have sufficient English proficiency to understand English-speaking colleagues.

• Language training

  VU Amsterdam facilitates employees who wish to improve their language skills through training arrangements as part of its regular HR policies. Various training courses are offered to improve Dutch or English language proficiency.

  Language provision for VU Amsterdam students and employees (only available in Dutch).

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