Minute-taking: efficient and results-oriented course
During the Minute-taking: efficient and results-oriented course you learn to capture the main thread of a meeting and turn your notes into a clear report with unambiguous agreements.
NRTO quality markFree cancellation up to four weeks before the start, so feel free to book now.
In brief. Minute-Taking: Efficient and Results-Focused is a 1-day classroom course. You can attend it in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and The Hague, among other cities, or online, in a group of no more than 8 participants. The price is EUR 625,- excl. VAT per participant, including course materials, lunch on location and a certificate of attendance. For a team or department we also run this course in-company.
- Clear minutes with more confidence
- Practical techniques for main points and side issues
- An action list that works straight away
- Writing clearly and engagingly
- Producing a clear report quickly
Your trainer: Marieke, Rob, Christy or Joris 1,104 evaluations in total, averaging 8.7. View the trainers
Minute-taking is a skill in its own right: you cannot write everything down, so you have to make choices. In this course you learn how to hold on to the main thread, summarise clearly and turn your notes into a clear report with concrete agreements.
Description
Taking minutes calls for sharp choices: you simply cannot write everything down. This course gives you a grip on that selection, so that afterwards you are not left with a jumble of words but with a report that captures the essence and sets out the agreements made clearly.
You work on techniques for grasping the main thread of a meeting, separating main points from side issues and turning your notes into a structured report. You also practise selective and active listening, good preparation, drawing up an action list and writing up your minutes clearly and attractively. The course alternates theory with exercises based on audio material, reflection and the exchange of experiences, so that you notice straight away what works for you.
Afterwards you take minutes with more confidence and produce reports that are useful for everyone around the table.
For teams and organisations. For a secretarial team or a group of management assistants we also run this course in-company, using examples from your own working practice.
Topics
- Various techniques for taking minutes effectively
- Selective and active listening
- How to prepare properly for a meeting
- What good minutes should contain
- Drawing up a clear list of actions and decisions
- Practising separating the essentials from the side issues
- Writing clearly and engagingly
- Making clear notes and writing them up quickly
- Taking minutes during in-person and online meetings
Result
After this course you can set out the main thread of a meeting clearly and turn your notes into a well-organised report. You know how to separate main points from side issues, draw up a usable action list and formulate your minutes in an attractive and clear way.
You prepare for a meeting in a focused way, listen selectively and actively, and apply various minute-taking techniques that suit you and the situation. The result: you take minutes with more confidence and produce reports that colleagues really benefit from.
Target audience
This course suits you well if you are about to take minutes for the first time, if you already take minutes but would like practical tips to sharpen your skills, or if you mainly want to work on the presentation and write-up of your minutes. Colleagues who regularly report on online meetings also get a great deal out of this course.
The course is also suitable for a team of secretaries and management assistants who want to structure their minutes in the same way.
Teaching method
During the course you alternate between experiencing, reflecting, practising with audio material and exploring theory. As a result, the programme suits a wide range of participants. There is plenty of action: you notice straight away what effect your way of taking minutes has.
By exchanging experiences you sharpen your approach further. Sticking points are put on the table, but you also recognise what is already going well. In doing so, we emphasise that you own your own development process.
Prior knowledge
No specific prior knowledge is required for this course. Whether you are about to take minutes for the first time or already have experience, you can join straight away. A little writing ability and a willingness to practise actively are enough.
Practical information
- Number of days
- 1 day
- Course times
- from 10 am to 5 pm
- Teaching hours
- 6 hours
- Education level
- Suitable for all levels
- Preparation time
- None
- Included
- Course materials and lunch on site
- Certificate
- At the end of the course you will receive a certificate of attendance
- Cancel
- Free up to four weeks before the start (cancellation terms)
Language
The course is given in Dutch as standard. The trainer speaks English. English-language course materials can be used. If at least 3 participants register, the course can also be given entirely in English.
In-company
Would you like to organise this training for a whole group or several groups? This can be cost-effective. For example, we can tailor the content entirely to your organisation, and training a whole group is also cheaper.
Are you looking at large numbers of participants or a complete academy? That involves a great deal. Consider planning and communication, for example, or identifying and agreeing the objectives and content of the training. Or differences in level, feedback mechanisms and safeguarding. Fortunately, Learnit has extensive experience in this field (more than 25 years) and we are happy to help you through this process.
Request a quote More about Minute-taking: efficient and results-focused in-company
All start dates
1 training day. Confirmed dates first, then in order of date.
- Tue 3 November 2026Certain to go ahead Online · 10:00–17:00 · trainer Garbrand Enrol
- Tue 10 November 2026Certain to go ahead Amsterdam · 10:00–17:00 · trainer GarbrandFree cancellation until 13 October Enrol
- Tue 10 November 2026 Online · 10:00–17:00Free cancellation until 13 October Enrol
- Tue 24 November 2026 Rotterdam · 10:00–17:00Free cancellation until 27 October Enrol
- Thu 3 December 2026 Online · 10:00–17:00Free cancellation until 5 November Enrol
- Mon 21 December 2026 Utrecht · 10:00–17:00Free cancellation until 23 November Enrol
- Fri 8 January 2027 Arnhem · 10:00–17:00Free cancellation until 11 December Enrol
- Thu 4 February 2027 Amsterdam · 10:00–17:00Free cancellation until 7 January Enrol
- Thu 11 March 2027 Groningen · 10:00–17:00Free cancellation until 11 February Enrol
- Thu 11 March 2027 Zwolle · 10:00–17:00Free cancellation until 11 February Enrol
- Tue 30 March 2027 Eindhoven · 10:00–17:00Free cancellation until 2 March Enrol
- Mon 7 June 2027 The Hague · 10:00–17:00Free cancellation until 10 May Enrol
- Mon 9 August 2027 The Hague · 10:00–17:00Free cancellation until 12 July Enrol
No suitable start date? Send us a date request, and we'll look at the options together.
This course by city
This course for your team?
Plan your own group on a date that suits you, at your office, at our premises or online. We tailor the content to your day-to-day work, and training a whole group is cheaper than individual bookings.
- Your date and location
- Tailored content
- Multiple groups or an academy are also possible
- More than 25 years' experience
The trainers for this course
Ratings from participants after completing their course, across all courses by this trainer.
What others say about this course
Minute Taking course: efficient and results-oriented: average 8.3 from 42 reviews
“Even if you already have experience of minute-taking, this course offers plenty of tips and tricks to take minutes even more efficiently.”
"I found it an enjoyable, instructive course. It was very clear and easy to follow. The trainer gave us useful tips for putting together a good report. Well worth taking!"
“An extremely instructive day, with plenty of tips and tricks that are easy to apply in my work.”
“Learning with and from each other in a relaxed atmosphere.”
"I took the 'efficient minute taking' course and after one day I left the building with completely different ideas. The trainer really showed us how important a good minute taker is, and that you have to believe in yourself."
“An enjoyable and instructive course that gives you tips on how to take clear, effective minutes.”
“Excellent organisation and a knowledgeable, quick-witted trainer. She was able to convey the material well.”
“The course was useful, I learned a lot, it could just have been a bit longer. The trainer for the day was a pleasant, personable and knowledgeable individual.”
“I am satisfied with the course Minute-taking: efficient and results-oriented. The course has certainly helped me to listen more selectively during meetings, so that I can take more concise minutes and spend less time writing them up.”
“n/a”
“Haven't had such a good course in ages, and what a great Trainer”
“I have been taking minutes for almost a year and followed this course to pick up some more tips & tricks. I learnt a lot of things during this course that I will be applying to my minutes.”
“Good, clear and instructive.”
“A very interesting course on taking minutes and dealing with this smartly. The focus is not only on minute-taking but on everything to do with meetings.”
“Excellent training course with many instructive elements and good, usable course material.”
“Excellent course. Clear course material. A pleasant trainer who was genuinely interested.”
“It was a very instructive course with a lot of content and variety in the teaching approach. I appreciated being asked in advance for information and how we wanted to be taught.”
“The Effective Minute-Taking course is well worth recommending. Genuinely efficient and effective. Clear, with plenty of exercises.”
"Very pleasant course. Everything is explained clearly, so that by the end of the day you think: oh, of course. I certainly learned a lot from the course. I would recommend it."
“A very pleasant and instructive course.”
“The trainer knew her subject and had prepared the course well. The course was nicely varied with interaction and examples/exercises from practice.”
“I have a positive impression of the course. A lot of information and useful tips were also shared among the participants.”
“Enjoyable course with plenty of tips and tricks for taking minutes efficiently and assertively.”
“Useful and worthwhile!”
“Depending on the needs of anyone interested, I would certainly recommend going here for Rob Tummers.”
"Excellent course! The trainer was fantastic and a genuine expert in her field. Everything else was well organised too, and highly instructive."
“I would recommend this course to anyone interested who has no experience of minute-taking yet.”
“Even though I was apparently already on the right track, I still learned very handy tips, particularly for writing up minutes. I am sure I can now work more efficiently during the meeting, which will make writing up in particular take a lot less time.”
"This course is recommended for anyone who has to take minutes."
“Very instructive course. Explanations are clear and there are plenty of tips!”
“Good course, gives tips & tricks for taking minutes quickly and effectively.”
“Efficient course in which you are given tips and tools in a short space of time to take minutes as efficiently as possible.”
“Very good content. Clear and usable tips.”
“Inspiring to get started with, with plenty of tips and additional information.”
“I can certainly recommend taking the course at Learnit, and with Rob Timmers as trainer.”
“All in all, I felt comfortable on this course. A warm welcome, a quiet environment and, thanks to the small group, easy to follow with plenty of attention for each participant. Despite some problems with the trains, it was still conveniently accessible and a lovely location.”
“The trainer is highly knowledgeable and has a great deal of experience. She also spoke about this at length.”
'Joris is a genuinely pleasant coach/teacher/trainer. He takes the time to get to know you personally, asks about your goals for the course and refers back to them faultlessly throughout. I learned a great deal on the course and can now do my job as a minute taker much better.'
“A wide-ranging course covering many different aspects of minute-taking in a short space of time. The trainer is open to the wishes of the participants.”
"Had an enjoyable and instructive course day, at an excellent location with a very friendly and clear teacher. Compliments!"
"I thought it was a very good course, not boring or long-winded, but practical and interesting."
""It was a course with a lot of interaction, delivered in an enjoyable and engaging way. This meant I was able to stay focused all day. Above all it was certainly a good day and I would happily choose the same setting with Elzo again.""
“I took the minute-taking course with satisfaction and completed it successfully. This thanks to the good training.”
“The course is tailored to the practice and learning points of the participants. Participants receive plenty of tips to apply in their (daily) work and to improve it. The course material is well presented and varied.”
“You really learn what the role of minute-taker involves and you are given tools to carry out this role as well and as easily as possible.”
“It was a good, clear course with plenty of tips and tricks to make minute-taking easier and quicker. There was ample opportunity to ask questions. I heard a lot of new things that I will certainly be putting into practice.”
"If you want to practise writing short, concise texts, it is an ideal day on which to learn something about that."
“Good, clear course that you can definitely benefit from.”
“Before the course, my colleague and I wondered how we would fill the time until 5 pm. But it was a genuinely illuminating account, in which the trainer's knowledge and skill kept our interest. It certainly provided insights!”
“Very comprehensive in terms of content for a one-day course. Picked up a lot of new ideas. Very inspiring.”
Training formats
Classroom
1 day€ 625,-- Pleasant venue with a good trainer
- Small groups
- Inspiring and motivating
In-company
Bespoke trainingOn request- 100% for your group
- Bespoke training
- At your place or ours
Workshop
Up to 4 hours for groupsOn request- Suitable for events
- Interactive and inspiring
- Large groups too
Private training
At our place or yoursOn request- 100% just for you
- Achieve a lot in little time
- Whenever you want
Frequently asked questions
Can I cancel free of charge?
Yes. Up to four weeks before the first day of the course you can cancel free of charge, without giving a reason. You then receive a credit note or, if you have already paid, a refund. If you cancel later, you pay part of the course fee: 25% between four and two weeks before the start, 75% in the two weeks before it and 100% in the final week. Moving to another start date is free of charge up to two weeks before the start, after that 50%. Sending a colleague in your place is always possible. Read the cancellation terms.
Do you need prior knowledge to take the Minute-taking course?
Who is the Minute-taking course suitable for?
Which techniques do you learn during the Minute-taking course?
Do you receive a certificate after the Minute-taking course?
Can you also take the Minute-taking course in-company or tailored to your needs?
What is the difference between this classroom Minute-taking course and an online course or e-learning on minute-taking?
How do I know whether this Minute Taking course is right for me, or whether I would be better off choosing a writing skills course?
How soon after the Minute-taking course can I apply the techniques in practice during a real meeting?
What do you get from this classroom Minute Taking course that you would not learn from a book or a YouTube video about minute taking?
When do you opt for a classroom Minute-taking course and when for an individual coaching session with a minute-taker?
Is this Minute Taking course also suitable if I take minutes for digital or hybrid meetings via Teams or Zoom?
What does the Minute-taking course cost and how long does it take?
You can find the current price at the top right of this course page, along with the schedule, location and delivery format. For in-company or bespoke courses we are happy to provide a quotation on request.
Tue 10 November 2026 in Amsterdam, also available online
This date already has enough participants. Free cancellation up to four weeks before the start, so you can secure a place now.