News#other
5 May 2022
Babbel aids Ukrainian refugees with free language-learning courses
Unsplash © Yura Khomitskyi

Babbel aids Ukrainian refugees with free language-learning courses

The world's highest-grossing language learning platform is offering Ukrainian refugees free English, German, and Polish language courses with an aim to aid integration into non-Ukrainian speaking communities.

Babbel, the online learning platform that offers users a “holistic path to effective language learning”, has announced a series of free language courses for Ukrainian refugees. Native Ukrainian speakers will have the opportunity to learn English, German, and Polish through Babbel’s award-winning app.

The courses will be free of charge and suitable for all learners, from beginner to intermediate, and can be accessed through the Babbel app, available for download from the Apple app store, Google Play store, and through the company’s website.

A Ukrainian-language landing page has also been created, accessed here, and includes further offerings for Ukrainian refugees.

“For Babbel, offering language courses for free to refugees in Ukraine is wholly aligned with our purpose. With millions of Ukrainians displaced and fleeing the EU, there was an urgency to develop these courses in less than a month from start to finish,” said Arne Schepker, CEO at Babbel. “Our courses, developed by our linguistic experts and based in one’s native language, allow faster learning and memory building to enable meaningful conversations.”

“In this case, it meant creating courses that can be applied to real-life situations to meet the urgent language needs of Ukrainian displaced communities.”

In addition to language courses, Babbel has developed a multitude of resources, including articles on arriving in Germany and Poland, a glossary for learning Ukrainian for citizens in host countries, and in-app push notifications to thousands of Russian learners living in Berlin, asking them to volunteer at welcome centres where Russian speakers were needed.

Babbel have also donated office space to Ukrainian humanitarian organisations in Berlin, where a volunteering centre offers support for the care and accommodation of refugees.