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Translator and interpreter training

http://tfk.bme.hu/?lang=en

The Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) is hailed as one of the finest higher education institutions in Hungary and also boasts a well-established international reputation (http://www.bme.hu/rangsorok). It offers a broad range of courses focusing on technology and economics covering eight disciplinary areas. There are 20 Bachelor’s programmes, one single-cycle degree programme, 42 Master’s courses and 13 doctoral schools, and a great number of specialist courses to cater for the needs of students, the current figure of which is over 20,000. Operating with eight faculties, the university offers an inspiring context for carrying out a wide range of activities related to foreign languages.

The Centre for Modern Languages (INYK) (www.inyk.bme.hu) is an independent unit working within the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences (GTK). It is made up of four components: Language Teaching, the Language Examination Centre, the University School of Languages and the Centre for Interpreter and Translator Training (TFK). INYK provides a comprehensive range of courses in 6 foreign languages (English, German, French, Spanish, Italian and Hungarian as a foreign language) for a total of 5,500 students per year and tailor-made to fit students’ individual needs. It has over 50 instructors (both full-time and part-time) who run general and specialist language courses at six different levels (from A1 to C1+). The Centre also organizes accredited general language examinations at three levels (B1, B2, C1) and examinations in language for specific purposes (LSP for Economics or Engineering) at 40 different venues across Hungary and examines over 14,000 candidates each year.

The Centre for Interpreter and Translator Training (TFK) (www.tfk.bme.hu) is an independent unit operating as part of the Centre for Modern Languages (INYK). It is hailed as one of the leading translator and interpreter training centres in Hungary with a 25-year history.

TFK currently offers five study programmes in translation and interpreting in six foreign languages in combination of Hungarian.

Postgraduate Programme in Specialised Translation and Interpreting for Technical, Economic and Social Sciences (in combination of oneforeign language and Hungarian; available languages: English, French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish). It is a 4-semester part-time course (with evening classes) that has run continuously since it was established in 2016.

Postgraduate Programme in Specialised Translation for Technical, Economic and Social Sciences (in combination of one foreign language and Hungarian; available languages: English, French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish). It is a three-semester programme that can be completed as a part-time course(with evening classes) OR as a distance learning course. The part time course with evening classes run from September; the distance learning scheme starts from February each year.

Postgraduate Programme in Specialised Translation for Economic and Technical Sciences and the European Union (in combination of one foreign language and Hungarian; available languages: English). It is a one-year full-time coursewith 15-17 hours per week. The course has been available since it was established in 2016.

Postgraduate Programme in Conference Interpreting with Two Foreign Languages(in combination of two foreign languages and Hungarian, available in English, French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish). It is a one-year full-time course with 18 hours per week.

Postgraduate Programme in Business and Conference Interpreting (in combination of Hungarian and one foreign language (English, French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish). It is a one-year full-time coursewith a mixture of on-site and remote interpreting classes. The first course will be launched from September 2023.

TFK regularly reviews its programmes to respond to newly emerging market demands. The Centre enjoys a high prestige because

the majority of the courses are taught by external professionals with hands-on market experience;
it offers a four-month-long mentoring scheme for full-time and part-time trainees on a voluntary basis as an extracurricular block where they can work with a mentor from the market on pro bono translation and/or interpreting assignments;
it organises a recurring event referred to as ‘Trainees meet Professionals’ every semester with a view to bringing together the key stakeholders of the knowledge triangle (i.e., trainers, trainees and market players);
it also undertakes an innovative initiative, the ‘Trainer-Trainer Talks’ (i.e., workshops, meetings, discussion fora), to which fellow trainers from other interpreter and translator training institutions from across the country are invited.

eTransFair – Erasmus+ project

Our project entitled eTransFair has been selected as one of the three winning projects under the Erasmus + (Strategic Partnership) scheme. Together with our partner institutions (Univie, Austria and Hermes, Spain), we have set out to develop an innovative knowledge exchange system – basing on the synergy of the three major stakeholders: universities, students and the translation market – which is expected to help modernise training programmes offered for specialised translators. During the three-year project we have undertaken to develop a broad range of methodological and ITC tools to bridge the gap between current educational outcomes and the actual needs of the translation market. The project also aims to provide collaborative platforms and a set of manuals to make the results transferrable for other higher education institutions. If you are interested in collaborating with us in the framework of Erasmus + and sharing best practices, please contact us at vegh.katalin@gtk.bme.hu or randrianasolo.daniella@gtk.bme.hu.

Mentor Programme

With three registered talent management centres, BME has an excellent reputation for making efforts in this area, and INYK operates in the same spirit. To support students and bring them closer to the labour market and improve their chances of employability, our organisation runs a mentor programme where each of the selected students is paired with a mentor working in a translation office or freelance who will supervise and monitor their mentorees’ activities.

If you are interested in working with our students as mentors, please contact us at
vegh.katalin@gtk .bme.hu or randrianasolo.daniella@gtk .bme.hu.

Contacts

The centre’s international contacts have since the outset been built on the Tempus and Erasmus programmes.

Partner institutions:

University of Strasbourg ITI-RI

Catholic University of Paris – I.S.I.T.

Lessius Hogeschool, Antwerp

Institut Libre Marie Haps, Brussels

University of Bologna

University of Alcalá, Madrid

Ghent University

Durham University