Our work and mission
We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide.
We uniquely combine the UK’s deep expertise in arts and culture, education and the English language, our global presence and relationships, our unparalleled access to young people and influencers, and our creative sparkle.
We work directly with individuals to help them gain the skills, confidence and connections to transform their lives and shape a better world in partnership with the UK. We support them to build networks and explore creative ideas, to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications.
Working with governments and our partners in the education, English language and cultural sectors, in the UK and globally, we make a bigger difference, creating benefit for millions of people all over the world.
We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2022–23 we reached 600 million people.
Cultural Engagement in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands we create opportunities for young people and work with governments and partners in education and cultural sectors. We convene events and activities to allow teachers and professionals at secondary, vocational and higher education institutes in the Netherlands and the UK to share best practices and work together to address joint challenges.
Our Cultural Engagement team in the Netherlands creates opportunities for young people to have life-changing experiences, for example, through accessing up to date and relevant information on studying in the UK and building relationships with UK Alumni.
Are you advising students to study aboard? Then access our UK Agent and Counsellor Training Hub.
People who have studied in the UK can be part of our Global Alumni UK network, opening up new opportunities.
https://www.britishcouncil.org/education
Working in partnership with artists and cultural institutions, we promote art events across the Netherlands that highlight and showcase UK culture through our newsletter and website. To access these opportunities and build your understanding, sign up for our newsletter (https://www.britishcouncil.nl/newsletter)
English
TeachingEnglish is our global programme for English teachers. Teachers can build their professional network, share ideas and know-how, and stay up to date with the latest research and innovations in teaching. You’ll find lesson plans, events and learning resources to support your practice, as well as new opportunities to help your career grow – whether you’re taking your first steps as an English language teacher, or your next steps as a teacher educator.
Expert support, better results
Learning English and taking life-changing exams with the British Council opens the door to opportunity. These opportunities mean people can study and work abroad and make new connections and unlock their potential.
When we speak the same language, share new ideas and celebrate different perspectives, we create a chain reaction that sparks innovation and progress. Our work in English and exams supports our broader work, helping people to connect meaningfully.
We help around 4 million people across 200 countries gain English language qualifications and provide resources to 70 million English language learners and teachers.
In the Netherlands we offer IELTS and Cambridge English qualifications across the country via our network of test centres and at schools. A large proportion of these exams are nowadays taken on a computer.
For both qualifications we have a wide range of free preparation materials available to private candidates and to schools. If you register your candidates for Cambridge English Qualifications, you can sign up for our Advantage Scheme. A wide range of benefits are available through our experts, supporting teachers and their students to gain better results. (https://www.britishcouncil.nl/exam/schools-institutions).