From Classroom to Career Symposium

Join us at 'From Classroom to Career', a symposium aiming to uncover the real-world applications of academic studies in language, linguistics and communication. Designed for postgraduate and undergraduate students, as well as lecturers in these fields, the event offers an opportunity to explore how theoretical knowledge is useful in professional contexts.

Event Highlights

• Hear about the career journeys and day-to-day work of professionals such as speechwriters, sustainability communicators, and communication trainers.

• Participate in discussions and workshops focused on the practical application of communication theories.

• Engage with controversial topics shaping the future of the field.

• Reflect on your own career path in communication and related professions.

Symposium Schedule

This symposium is more than just an event; it's a stepping stone for your future in the communication field. Gain invaluable insights and expand your professional network! Register below.

Invited Experts

Abele Kamminga

Has worked as a speechwriter and strategic advisor to members of parliament, executives, and the Mayor of Groningen. He is known for publishing academic articles, a travel report, opinion pieces, essays, book reviews, entries in reference works, and comics. As a ghostwriter, he wrote opinion pieces that were published in national newspapers.

Pascal Comvalius MSc

Pascal is a Communication Behaviour specialist, IMI-Certified Mediator,  Certified Hostage /Crisis Negotiator and certified confidential counsellor. He obtained a master's degree in “Communication, Behaviour, and Credibility Analysis”. Pascal practices and teaches around the globe. He coaches and judges' negotiation and mediation competitions worldwide. 

Pascal is the former vice-president of the Academy of Professional Family Mediators, a former member of the International Standards Executive Committee of IMI and is the current chair of the IMI appraisal committee. Pascal is also a visiting faculty member at Maharashtra National Law University in Mumbai for the master's degree in Mediation and Conflict Resolution. Pascal is the author of the book ‘Mediation in criminal cases’.

Yingqing (Qing) Gong LL.M.

Yingqing (Qing) Gong is a career advisor, trainer, and connector who brings together international talent and companies in the Northern Netherlands. As a former international student at the University of Groningen, Qing understands the challenges of building a career in a new country. Through Thrive Coaching & Consulting, she supports internationals in navigating the Dutch labour market through career coaching, networking, and intercultural communication.

Anna Jegorenkova

Anna is a communications specialist working at the intersection of sustainability, research and strategic communication. She recently worked as a Communications Officer at the University of Groningen, where she led digital strategy, email campaigns, and outreach for interdisciplinary sustainability research.

She now works independently, advising start-ups in Germany on communication strategy, positioning, and audience engagement. Anna is curious about exploring new ways in which science communication can make research and innovation more accessible, relevant, and impactful beyond academia.

Olivier Teerling

My name is Olivier Teerling. I was born in The Hague, grew up by the beach, and after a Bachelor's and Master's in Neuroscience in Amsterdam and Marseille, I have now been living in Groningen for six years. Currently, I work at Can't Dutch This, an NT2 institute that I also founded myself. Here, I teach, manage the company, and, together with my colleagues, help more than 1,000 students per year with their Dutch language integration. Additionally, I work as a French teacher at a secondary school and teach cooking classes one day a week to refugee children at the ISK in Appingedam. In my free time, I bake cakes, which I supply to a small café in the city, and I volunteer twice a month at the music venue Vera. I do a lot of sports, especially climbing, listen to a lot of music, and enjoy attending concerts. I have a diverse life and am currently not doing anything related to my initial field of study. Although I enjoyed my studies, I am happy about that! I think you should always approach life with an open mind. What do you *really* enjoy? What makes you happy? However, I too have struggled with this and ran into walls and pitfalls for a long time. Finding your way, especially at a young age, is challenging!