About the ALCS

The Association for Low Countries Studies promotes research, spreads everyday awareness of Dutch, Flemish, and Surinamese culture and history, and represents Dutch studies modules and courses across higher education in the UK and Ireland.

Low Countries studies—or Neerlandophone studies—explores the language, culture, history, and society of Dutch-speaking regions, including the Netherlands, Flanders, Suriname, and the Caribbean islands. The ALCS welcomes anyone with an academic interest in this field.

We achieve these goals through several core initiatives:

• Conferences & Events: Hosting a biennial international conference, annual Summer Schools for Dutch language learners, and an international postgraduate colloquium for early-career researchers.
• Publications: Publishing Dutch Crossing: A Journal of Low Countries Studies twice a year, alongside our occasional series, Crossways.
• Funding & Support: Awarding modest research grants to members and postgraduate students.
• Advocacy: Representing the field through corporate membership in the University Council for Modern Languages and engaging directly with policy makers in government and higher education.

Our work is sustained by membership fees, grants from the Nederlandse Taalunie, occasional donations from embassies and conference exhibitors, and research funds originating from the 1988–1989 William and Mary tercentenary celebrations.

Executive Committee

During the Biennial General Meeting of the ALCS held at University of York on 24 June 2026 the following members were elected or co-opted to the Executive Committee:

• Henriette Louwerse, ALCS Chair (Sheffield)
• Filip De Ceuster, Director and editor of Dutch Crossing (Sheffield)
• Carol Fehringer, Secretary (Newcastle)
• Adam Sammut, Honorary Treasurer (York)
• Christine Sas, ordinary member (UCL)
• Jenny Watson, ordinary member (Edinburgh)
• Hans Demeyer, ordinary member and editor Dutch Crossing (UCL)
• Simone Edgar Holmes, PG representative (UCL)
• Rob de Koning, IWLP/Language Centres (Westminster)

We have a vacancy for one ordinary member for UK Institutions which we hope to fill soon.