UU course overview

Thank you for your interest in taking an English course! Here you can find a clear overview of the courses we offer for UU employees. It includes a short summary of the course, the learning goals and the course dates. You received a recommendation for a suitable course based on your intake assessment.

You are welcome to register for a course of your interest via this page using the orange “register” button. We offer courses in the Virtual Classroom (VC) and face-to-face (F2F). Please note that there is a minimum of participants required by UU to start a course. You will receive a confirmation for the course after the final registration date. We look forward to welcoming you in one of our courses!

General English B1-B2

Level: B1 to B2	Form: virtual classroom
Schedule: 10 x 2 hours	Start date: 16-11-2026 (VC) – register before 09-11-2026 26-04-2027 (VC) – register before 19-04-2027

Are you already able to use English for practical daily work-related activities but want to improve your skills to express more developed or abstract ideas in speaking and writing? Are you looking to expand or refresh your vocabulary and grammar knowledge? Then this is the one for you! This course will take you towards level B2. The course programme covers all four skills; speaking, listening, reading and writing. In addition to classroom sessions you will be provided with practical e-learning modules. By the end of this course:

You will feel considerably more confident using English and will demonstrate a sufficient range of words and phrases that help you to express yourself in speaking and writing. You will be able to present and discuss abstract ideas and information more easily. You will be able to speak about a relatively wide range of topics.
You will show a relatively high degree of grammatical control mostly.
You will understand a lot more of the English you read and hear around you too. Maybe you’ll risk turning the subtitles off in an English language film every now and then.
At the end of the course you will take a test to indicate your level and see how you have made progress.

If you would like to take this course together with at least four of your direct colleagues, but the scheduled days/times are not convenient, please send an email to cursuscoordinatie@babel.nl.

Register

General English B2-C1

Level: B2 to C1	Form: virtual classroom/face to face
Schedule: 10 x 2 hours	Start date: 16-11-2026 (VC) – register before 09-11-2026 08-02-2027 (F2F) – register before 01-02-2027 26-04-2027 (VC) – register before 19-04-2027

Are you looking to get your English skills to the level you need to work in English a considerable amount of your time? Or do you want to greatly increase your knowledge of vocabulary at a higher level? This course towards advanced level will take you where you need to go! The course programme covers all four skills; speaking, listening, reading and writing. In addition to classroom sessions you will be provided with practical e-learning modules By the end of this course, you will have reached C1 level.

You will feel considerably more confident using English and will know many more words and phrases that help you to express complex ideas in speaking and writing on a broad range of topics.
You will be able to present and discuss abstract ideas and information resulting in clear communication. You will generally feel at ease with whatever social and workplace situations come your way.
You will be able to maintain a high degree of grammatical accuracy mostly.
At the end of the course you will take a test to indicate your level and see how you have made progress.

Teaching in English

Level: B2 to C1	Form: face to face
Schedule: 6 x 2,5 hours	Start date: 26-04-2027 (F2F) – register before 19-04-2027

This course (6 classes of 2,5 hrs) is for lecturers that have almost met the UU requirements to teach through EMI. The course provides opportunities for learning through reflection, practice and discussion. Firstly, you will reflect on your approach to English-medium teaching. This includes handling formal and informal registers. Also, you will practise how to regularly check for both comprehension and clarification while lecturing. In other words, are your students still with you? You will discuss your experiences with others; you will practise teaching through English and receive feedback on your performances. Furthermore, you will explore the dynamics of the international classroom and intercultural communication to create a safe and attractive learning environment. You will activate and further improve your English for teaching purposes.

As part of the course programme you will be asked to do some short teaching assignments, e.g. part of a lecture, seminar or tutorial. The programme allows for whole-group activities, small-group work and individual assignments and self-study. In addition to the class sessions, several e-learning modules will be provided.

If you would like to take this workshop together with at least two of your direct colleagues, but the scheduled days/times are not convenient, please send an email to cursuscoordinatie@babel.nl.

Register

Workshop English for Email and Telephone B1-B2

Level: B1 to B2	Form: virtual classroom
Schedule: 4 x 2 hours	Start date: 08-02-2027 (VC) – register before 01-02-2027

This workshop (4 sessions of 2 hrs) aims to develop the skills necessary for business telephoning and email writing. It is particularly suitable when you work as a secretary, office manager, (project) assistant or project officer. As for telephoning, the course primarily focuses on telephoning skills such as asking and replying clearly to questions, summarising information and giving clear instructions. In addition, you will practise more difficult conversations and how to deal with misunderstandings. This also includes using polite forms. With regard to emailing, we focus on reviewing basic email skills, revising correct grammatical structures and punctuation and using polite and nuanced language. For both telephoning and email you will be able to practise with every day situations from the office, next to pre-designed activities.

If you would like to take this workshop together with at least two of your direct colleagues, but the scheduled days/times are not convenient, please send an email to cursuscoordinatie@babel.nl.

Register

Workshop Writing & Grammar B2-C1

Level: B2 to C1	Form: virtual classroom
Schedule: 4 x 2 hours	Start date: 16-11-2026 (VC) – register before 09-11-2026 26-04-2027 (VC) – register before 19-04-2027

During this workshop you will brush up your grammar and writing skills at B2-C1 level. Regarding grammar, we pay special attention to revising the basic verb tenses, using correct word order in more complex structures and dealing with word forms (nouns, adjectives and adverbial phrases). For writing skills we look more closely at the structure of an email, memo or other work- related document. In addition, we focus on how you can create more cohesion and apply the appropriate register. Also learning strategies for expanding your professional vocabulary will be offered,

If you would like to take this workshop together with at least two of your direct colleagues, but the scheduled days/times are not convenient, please send an email to cursuscoordinatie@babel.nl.

Register

Workshop Communication during meetings B2-C1

Level: B2 to C1	Form: face to face
Schedule: 4 x 2 hours	Start date: 6-11-2026 (F2F) – register before 09-11-2026 26-04-2027 (F2F) – register before 19-04-2027

During this workshop we focus on meetings for international groups. We look at what a business meeting entails and how you can express yourself clearly in English. Through practical meeting role plays you can develop your skills and receive constructive feedback from both trainer and fellow-participants. These skills include explaining more complex situations, asking for clarification and coming to an agreement. Next to that, we pay attention to intercultural communication and different styles of business meetings.

Register