In October 2020, the Faculty of Arts of UPJŠ completed the last stage of the procedure for becoming a full member of the Conférence internationale permanente d’instituts universitaires de traducteurs et interprètes (CIUTI). This international association is an organisation associating universities and higher-education institutes offering prestigious translation and interpreting study programmes from all over the world. For professionals, this association is a guarantee of quality and excellence. Our Faculty is a candidate for membership with the study programmes of bachelor and magister levels of study in English language for European institutions and Economy, English language and French language for European Institutions and Economy, and English language and German language for European institutions and Economy.
The admission procedure for new candidates consists of three stages. In June 2019 we completed the first stage of evaluation, which involves the evaluation of the quality of the application, of the structure of study programmes, as well as of the publication outputs of academic staff preparing future interpreters and translators. As a result, We were invited to participate in the second stage of evaluation, which was conditioned by the preparation of a self-assessment report on our study programmes. In November 2019 we submitted the final report, which its schedules contained almost 100 pages, including the different schedules. At the beginning of this year, the invitation to the third stage of evaluation was received, consisting in on-site evaluation by two internationally recognized experts. Their visit was planned for the end of March 2020. However, due to the spread of the pandemic, we had to wait for an improvement of the epidemiological situation. In July, the CIUTI Admission Commission decided to change the format from an on-site to an on-line visit and the third stage of admission procedure was held on-line last month.
The On-line format was a challenge to all of us. Thanks to the flexibility and creativity of our academic staff members and the professionality of our technical support, every Wednesday in October we arranged for the experts, prof. Zuzana Jettmarová from the Charles University in Prague (Czech Republic) and prof. Cécile Frogneux from the Catholic University in Louvain (Belgium), to participate on-line in nine theoretical and practical classes of translation and interpreting, two meetings with students and graduates, and an on-line meeting with representatives of the management of the Faculty of Arts of UPJŠ, Department of British and American Studies and Department of Germanic Studies. The On-line visit was completed on 28 October 2020. The results and the decision of the CIUTI Admission Commission will be available in December.
I would like to thank all colleagues who contributed by their work to the creation of an attractive and convincing overall picture of the translation and interpreting study programmes offered by our University. My thanks also go to those students of translation and interpreting courses who were willing to share their view on the study at our Faculty and to attend on-line classes. And last but not least, I would like to thank the professional technical support of the Faculty of Arts of UPJŠ.
The on-line visit also included a video showing the premises of the Faculty of Arts of UPJŠ.
I believe that because of the enthusiastic participation of everyone involved we will succeed in our efforts to join CIUTI.
Doc. Mgr. Renáta Panocová, PhD.
Vice-Dean for International Relations and CIUTI contact person
