Brussels, 08/12/2009 (Agence Europe) - The “European Master's in Translation” (EMT) network is holding its first meeting in Brussels on 8 and 9 December. The member universities providing translator training programmes, and which are members of the EMT network, will on this occasion elect the network's governance structure and create three working groups for discussion and action in three broad fields related to translator training: - the future of the translating profession, translation tools and technology (applied research) as well as translation education and learning outcomes. “Translation is a job with a future. At the same time, it is a job in constant evolution (…). If, in addition, the European Master's in Translation has the side effect of stimulating a debate on what it takes to be a first class professional translator, it will help to orient the research in this field and, in the long run, the quality of translator training”, said Leonard Orban, Commissioner for Multilingualism.
The first day of the meeting was devoted to discussion between member universities, especially on the challenges and prospects of the EMT network. On the second day, universities whose applications were unsuccessful in the first call will also be invited to contribute to the development of the project. Another aim of this first meeting will be to launch a forward-looking analysis on the competences a translator needs in the future and which should therefore be provided by the universities involved in the EMT programme. The aim of the EMT network is to create a quality label for translation training programmes at Master's level in order to enlarge the professional horizons of students and provide qualified personnel needed by the public institutions. In September this year, 34 programmes at Master's level, suggested by universities throughout Europe, had been selected to become members of the EMT network (EUROPE 9977). Another call for applications will be launched at the end of 2010. (I.L./transl.jl)