Six University of Bath graduates have passed the highly competitive UN’s Competitive Examinations for Language Positions (CELP).
Passing these examinations is a requirement to be recruited by the United Nations (UN) in the future to work as staff interpreters. These graduates from our MA Interpreting and Translating (MAIT) course will now be added to the roster of Chinese interpreters for future recruitment at the UN.
They will become the latest in a long list of Bath graduates working for the UN as interpreters and translators, either in-house or as freelancers.
The University of Bath has close links with international organisations and has a Memorandum of Understanding with the UN.
Yi Fan, one of the graduates to pass the exams, said:
Passing the exams is an important milestone and I am really proud to be part of this achievement. This would not have been possible without the continued support I received from Bath. I have benefited immensely from our alumni network that truly nurtures a strong sense of belonging.
Qin Gong, who also passed, said:
Working for the UN as an interpreter has long been my dream, but it’s the Bath MAIT programme that has sown the seed of that dream. Studying at the University of Bath has not just equipped me with the necessary interpretation skills, it has also introduced me to the highest level of interpretation attainable with the UN internship. More importantly, it has shaped my sense of pride in this profession, which has been driving me to work hard ever since.
Another graduate who passed, Panpan Wang, said:
Interpreters for the United Nations not only build communication bridges but also contribute to a mission that goes beyond economic benefit. Joining the UN as a staff interpreter is a career worth committing myself to and a privilege that I must earn through hard work.
Steven Wonnacott, Director of Studies for the MAIT, MA Translation with Business Interpreting (Chinese), and MA Translation and Professional Language Skills courses, said:
This is a wonderful achievement, and the teaching staff on the programmes are extremely proud of the students. The fact that so many Bath graduates have passed the test over the years demonstrates the high calibre of our interpreting graduates, and the practical and specialised nature of our interpreting courses. It further cements the ties between our interpreting and translation programmes, the Bath alumni network and the UN interpreting services.