SENSE is updating its Constitution and Rules, and the membership fee may be increased for 2026. If you're a SENSE member, log in to comment.  


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Browse our events calendar for upcoming webinars, workshops, professional development days and informal get-togethers.



Living in the Netherlands? Doing language work? Working in English?

Join the society for English-language professionals in the Netherlands!

What is SENSE, and what does SENSE do?

SENSE is a society for English-language professionals based in the Netherlands. We are a community of language workers who work from or into English, with a connection to the Netherlands.

Attend informal get-togethers

SENSE regularly hosts meetings (SIGs) for members based on region or special interest. These meetings can be in person or online.

Forum for members only

SENSE's web forum is where members can post questions, give answers, and chat with other members. There is also a jobs category where jobs are posted from potential clients who visited the SENSE website.

Get a mentor to guide you

SENSE has a mentoring programme whereby experienced SENSE members can help inexperienced members for a small fee (subsidized by SENSE).

Event calendar / agenda

Never miss an event! Discover upcoming webinars, workshops and social events on the SENSE Calender, or browse through the ones that you have missed.

Contact other members easily

SENSE members are encouraged to make contact with other members. That is what being in a society is all about. All SENSE members can search for or browse the list of current SENSE members.

Read our regular blog

SENSE members and guest authors post meeting reports and interesting articles on the SENSE Blog. It also represents an opportunity to budding copywriters to get their name on screen.

Guidelines for student texts

SENSE has prepared its own "Guidelines for Proofreading Student Texts" and a "Form to Confirm Proofreading Services". Download them free of charge.

Best practices

The Dutch Convenant explains what freelance translators and translation agencies in the Netherlands typically consider good practice in their dealings with each other. Visit sense-online.nl/dutch-covenant.

2019 Professional Development Day

From 21 September 2019 09:00 CEST until 21 September 2019 18:30 CEST
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Come join us for our Professional Development Day, the biennial event in which SENSE members learn from (and with) other members. This year's programme will include two great plenary talks, our first-ever translation slam, and presentations by some of the society's best translators, copywriters and editors. There will also be plenty of time to socialise and network during the yummy buffet lunch and the end-of-the-day borrel. Don't miss it!

Registration

Register before the end of the day on 31 August to take advantage of a €25 early-bird discount!

SENSE members (through 31 August): €60
SENSE members (from 1 September): €85

Non-members (through 31 August): €120
Non-members (from 1 September): €145

Attendance at the SENSE PDD will entitle you to 6 PE points. 

Click here to register. Members, remember to log in!

The programme:

TimeWhat we are doing
9:00–9:30 Registration
Time for tea or coffee and networking
9:30–9:40 Welcome and introduction
9:40–10:30

From Lada to Lamborghini: tips for gaining and retaining valuable repeat clients
(Jenny Zonneveld)
10:30–11:00 Coffee break & networking
11:00–11:50 An introduction to Cornwall and its languages
(Anita van Adelsbergen)		 Translating in architecture
(Dianna Beaufort)
11:55–12:45

Translating for fun and profit
(Peter Smethurst)

 Copywriting: what is it and could you do it?
(Cathy Scott)
12:45 –13:45 Lunch break & networking
13:45–14:35 What not to forget in your quotation
(John Linnegar & Jenny Zonneveld)		 Introduction to Search Engine Optimisation
(Francis Cox)
14:40–15:30

Translation slam
(Peter Smethurst & Cathy Scott)

 The diverse skills and roles for language professionals in academia & science
(Jackie Senior & Kate McIntyre)
15:30–16:00 Tea break & networking
16:00–17:15 High-level writing, rhythm and flow
(Mike Hannay)
17:15–17:30 Closing session
17:30–18:30
 Drinks, hapjes and (more) networking