Since the civil war in Syria, many people fled to the Netherlands, including to Rotterdam, where temporary shelters were even set up on the Woudestein campus. From that context, Erasmus University Rotterdam launched a research project: what obstacles do status holders face when trying to find work that matches their talents and prior education?
From this research into the challenges status holders encounter on their path to suitable employment, the Erasmus Preparatory Year was born. This educational program has since evolved into the Onderwijsroute HBO/WO, a pathway that prepares young and talented participants for entry into Dutch higher education.
Participants prepare for this through subjects such as Dutch, English, Mathematics, and Physics. The Language & Training Centre (LTC) works closely with, among others, the Youth Desk of the Municipality of Rotterdam and cultural institutions across the city.
Fenix: where language, art, and personal migration stories come together
You don’t learn a new language only from books, but also by experiencing real-life situations and talking about them. That’s why we went with a group of participants from Onderwijsroute HBO/WO to Fenix, the new art museum about migration. Recently, Fenix launched a special program for students of Dutch as a Second Language (NT2).
For the participants, the theme of migration connects directly to their own backgrounds. You notice it immediately: some artworks raise questions, others spark discussions or evoke personal stories. People start talking spontaneously, searching for words, and sharing what they recognize or what moves them.
In the classroom, we often practice with fictional assignments and role plays, but at Fenix this happens naturally. Participants express what they feel, ask each other questions, and share their own experiences.
Excursions like this show how important cultural and social participation is for the integration process. Art provides context, meaning, and topics for conversation. It helps newcomers not only practice the language but also find their place in a society where their own story belongs too.
Afterwards, we discussed the impressions back on campus and deepened our language skills. It shows that integration and language learning also take place outside the classroom.
Language Buddy
Participants of Onderwijsroute HBO/WO are often looking for a language buddy, someone who helps them with Dutch, but also guides them through other aspects of life in the Netherlands. Think of knowledge about the labor market, the (higher) education system, and cultural customs. All these things are new to our participants and often very different from those in their country of origin.
It’s a valuable and special way to connect with people from different backgrounds. You can truly make a difference. Are you interested in becoming a language buddy? For more information, please contact us at onderwijsroute@eur.nl.
Sam van Leeuwen (1991) studied Criminology and Public Administration at Erasmus University Rotterdam. After an internship at the Dutch Embassy in Sri Lanka and a period teaching in Colombia, he returned to his beloved Rotterdam, where he worked as a tutor at ESSB. Later, he taught Dutch at various schools in Rotterdam and obtained his NT2 certification. Starting in 2025, he will work in the same role at the Language & Training Centre (LTC). Alongside his work in education, he contributed to developing language programs for newcomers at the Fenix art museum.
Fotografie: Benny Emmerich
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