The International Relations Office is excited to announce that the University has renewed our Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement with the United Nations’ Department for General Assembly and Conference Management (DGACM).
First signed in 2009, this long-established collaboration has provided placement opportunities with the United Nations’ (UN) language offices on a regular basis in Geneva, Vienna and New York. Bath postgraduate students who have benefitted from these placements include those on the MA Interpreting and Translating (MAIT), MA Translation and Professional Language Skills (TPLS) and MA Translation with Business Interpreting (TBI) programmes. In addition to placements, a number of Bath students have also undertaken traineeships and internships within these UN language offices.
Alongside providing placements and internships for students, the collaboration enables UN translation and interpretation staff to deliver training sessions on campus to Bath's current MAIT, TPLS and TBI students.
The benefit of teaching and practical experience provided through this MoU is evident through the ongoing achievements of our students. Most recently, MAIT graduate Clare Borradaile was amongst the winners at the prestigious 16th United Nations St Jerome Translation Contest. Furthermore, six MAIT students successfully passed the UNs' Competitive Examinations for Language Positions (CELP) Chinese interpreter examinations.
The MA in Interpreting and Translation at Bath is one of the university’s longest-standing programs. It prepares professionals for careers with international organizations such as United Nations agencies, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the European Commission.
Dr Miguel Fialho, Course Director for the MA Translation with Business Interpreting programme, said of the renewal:
We are delighted that the United Nations and the University of Bath have renewed an MoU for future cooperation, which we hope will consolidate our strong contacts with the various UN agencies across the world. We are immensely proud of the numerous Bath graduates who have passed the very stringent UN accreditation tests and gone on to work for the United Nations both in-house and freelance, in various capacities, including as interpreters, translators, editors and verbatim reporters. Postgraduate students at the University of Bath have benefitted greatly from the UN's support and pedagogical assistance, including opportunities to take part in internships and study visits at various UN duty stations. As the partnership continues, the collaboration seeks to build upon these previous achievements gained in the partnership, as well as further solidify Bath as a leading programme centre in training English-speaking language professionals."
The University of Bath is pleased to be renewing this long-standing partnership and looks forward to the continued success of the collaboration.