Dutch language and culture in South Korea and Indonesia
South Korean and Indonesian students preparing to study in the Netherlands can get a first taste of Dutch language and culture through their local Nuffic Neso office. It will help ‘soften’ the experience of arriving in a new country and strengthen their options in the long run for doing an internship or working in the Netherlands.
Courses are offered in the evenings at both the Nuffic Neso office in Seoul and the Erasmus Taalcentrum (Erasmus Language Centre) in Jakarta.
Students have expressed their appreciation for the chance to learn at least a little bit about the local language and culture before starting their programmes abroad. Some of them also learn Dutch with a view to finding a job in the Netherlands after graduation, hoping to turn the land of tulips and windmills into their own future homeland!
Dutch courses in South Korea
In South Korea, students can learn Dutch at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS). Many Korean alumni go on to work at a Dutch company or the Dutch embassy after graduating.
When asked what originally inspired them to study Dutch, the answer is almost always that Holland left a strong impression: “It’s is a small country, but has a strong economy – what’s the secret?”
Dutch courses in Indonesia
In Indonesia, the Erasmus Taalcentrum (ETC) organises Dutch language courses for interested Indonesians in cooperation with the Dutch Department at Universitas Indonesia. The centre also serves as an information point for anyone with questions about Dutch or Dutch programmes on the Indonesian archipelago.
The ETC is part of the Taalunie, a Dutch language union jointly set up by the Netherlands, Flanders and Surinam. ETC activities focus on promoting worldwide knowledge of the Dutch language.
Courses in Dutch culture
The Nuffic Neso offices in South Korea and Indonesia, together with specialists at the HUFS and the ETC respectively, have also developed a course of broader interest. This course covers not only language but also Dutch culture and higher education.
Hopefully, this will help participants to feel at home in the Netherlands more quickly and consequently to make the most of their studies. It may even inspire them to enrol in a follow-up course alongside their study programme, ultimately contributing to forging lasting ties between alumni and the Netherlands.