TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETING The National Network for Translation

TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETING The National Network for Translation The National Network for Interpreting

Routes into Languages 1 • Two separate National Networks with separate budgets • NNT: Universities of Salford (lead), Aston, Bath, Heriot-Watt, Portsmouth, Westminster • NNI: Universities of Leeds (lead), Bath, Salford, Westminster, Heriot-Watt

Issues to address • National shortage of first language English translators and interpreters • Concentration on Western European languages in current HE translation course provision • Low national profile of careers in translation and interpreting • Need to develop stronger cooperation between course providers and potential employers

Translation as a profession • Work in a translation company (in-house translator, project manager, terminologist, …) • Work in translation department of national or international bodies (DGT, UN, European Central Bank, multinational enterprises …) • Freelance translator (variety of texts and subject domains) • audio-visual translation, software localisation, ‘transcreation’, ‘transediting’, ‘(trans)adaptation’ …

Interpreting as a profession • Conference interpreting and Public Service interpreting • For both - shortage of graduates with required skills and languages • PSIT – in courts of law, police, immigration, health care • EU Directive 2010 64, now binding = a legal obligation to provide translation and interpreting

Public Service Interpreting and Translation • To ensure access to qualified legal interpreters and translators, EU countries are asked to set up a register of independent and qualified translators and interpreters which should be available to legal counsels and relevant authorities.

PSIT • Translation and interpretation services should be of a quality sufficient to ensure that suspected or accused persons understand the case against them and are able to exercise their right of defence.

PSIT as a profession • PSIT – languages needed now : Farsi, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali & Silheti, French/English-based Creoles, Panjabi, Tagalog (Filipino), Gujerati, Yorubu, Lingala, Ga, Somali, Kurdish, Polish, Turkish, Swahili, Arabic… • Plus training in court/healthcare/police interpreting

Conference interpreting • International organisations (EU, UN, NATO etc) need qualified interpreters • As staff and freelances • Training offered in many countries • Training offered in UK… • Excellent language knowledge needed

To interpret professionally you must know about the world 18 April 2005

Activities • information events on careers in translation and interpreting (including talks by professional translators and interpreters and other representatives of the industry and professional associations) • training seminars / workshops / Masterclasses / taster sessions / mock conferences • generation of promotional material; talks on Network activities at various fora (national and international) • creation of dedicated websites (resources, interactive exercises, information about the profession and required skills, events and news);

Close collaboration with: • LLAS (and CILT) • The Regional Consortia • Aim higher, Widening Participation and Career Services within the partner institutions • Other Higher Education Institutions • Employers and professional associations (e. g. ATC, ITI, CIo. L, DGT, SCIC) • Networks of alumni

Why learn languages? • In the UK many do not…. . why not? • Routes into Languages made a difference… • £ 4. 5 million, Government and HEFCE • Networks for Translation and Interpreting – 6 years of events, taster sessions, careers days • Shortage of English mother tongue graduates for language services of EU and UN

Main achievements and impact Increase in numbers of students on programmes with English as A language 2007 -2012 applications to translation and interpreting courses increased by 34% By 2013 spring, shortages no longer an issue – Routes plus EU and UN outreach campaign worked

But …. Languages out of favour? A levels – decline in languages FRENCH 10%, GERMAN 11% But SPANISH 4% And up slightly POLISH ARABIC RUSSIAN JAPANESE

New situation in Routes 2 • Cohesion: Even more cooperation and coordination of the two Networks • Inclusiveness: Networks expanded in scope (covering the whole range of Translation and Interpreting, including PSIT) and membership (e. g Surrey, UCLAN, London Metropolitan …)

Challenges • Networks don’t have separate budgets anymore – events need to be coordinated with regional consortia • two national career events organised jointly by NNT/NNI, and one event in collaboration with each of the regions • Request: please do contact NNT/NNI when you organise language awareness events or careers days • Sustainability potentially in danger (programme closure)

Onwards and upwards Commitment and determination of Networks to carry on with • holding Careers events (as the most successful of the networks’ activities reaching a large number of students in a focussed and productive way) • enhancing cooperation with employers (internships for students) • promoting the professions widely

Websites: • https: //www. routesintolanguages. ac. uk/ translation • http: //www. nationalnetworkfortranslatio n. ac. uk/ • http: //www. nationalnetworkforinterpreti ng. ac. uk/