On 17 – 18 January, First Vice-Rector Sergey Goncharov and Deputy Director of the School Angelique Antonova took part in the conference “Facing the World’s New Challenges. The Role of T&I in Providing Integrated, Efficient and Sustainable Solutions” held by CIUTI (Conférence Internationale Permanente d’Instituts Universitaires de Traducteurs et Interprètes), the world’s oldest and most prestigious international association of university institutes with translation and interpretation programs. First Vice-Rector S. Goncharov made a presentation «The role of Russian in the New Geopolitical Settings with Special Focus on the Commonwealth of Independent States» which provoked a lively discussion among the Heads of Translation and Interpretation Services in the European Commission and Directors of Translation and Interpretation Schools.
The conference offered Vice Rector Goncharov and Deputy Director Angelique Antonova an opportunity to have a number of useful meetings with senior officials from the UN, the European Commission and Directors of European translation and interpretation schools. The results of a five year cooperation programme between Herzen University and the UN Office in Geneva were discussed at the meeting with Director of the UNOG Conference Management Department Vladimir Grachev. Mr Grachev expressed his satisfaction with the graduates’ level of performance and shared his vision of developing a Conference management programme at the School.
An agreement on cooperation between Herzen University and the WHO (World Health organization) was reached at a meeting with Mr. Mc Carey, Head of the WHO Translation Service. Under this agreement, the School will train language specialists to meet the needs of the WHO.
Mr Martikonis, Director General of DGT, the European Commission, was satisfied with the cooperation between Herzen University and DGT. He stressed the importance of maintaining the momentum of cooperation in translator training despite financial constraints. In recognition of the quality of the translation program at the School, Mr Martikonis proposed that the School should join the EMT (European Master’s Program in Translation).
Director General of DG SCIC at the European Commission, Mr Benedetti, assured First Vice-Rector Goncharov that the cooperation between DG SCIC and Herzen University will gather pace regardless of the economic problems, as DG SCIC is seeking to employ qualified interpreters with the Russian language moving forward, and the School is the only institution in Russia with an appropriate training program. Mr Benedetti confirmed his participation in the conference “Fighting the Fog in Multilingualism” to be held on 4-5 March at the Herzen University and timed to mark Director Irina Alexeeva’s jubilee.
A meeting with Ms B. Moser-Mercier, Director of FTI UNIGE, was both fruitful and interesting. The parties discussed steps to be taken to start a joint Master’s program in Conference Interpreting in partner universities and the upcoming visit of the Geneva University delegation to Herzen University as part of the Scientific and Technological Cooperation program Switzeland – Russia. The delegation also plans to take part in the events marking Director Alexeeva’s jubilee.
At the meeting with Ms T. Bodrova, Director of ESIT (L’École Supérieure d’Interprètes et de Traducteurs), the parties agreed to cooperate in training conference interpreters and translators. Ms T. Bodrova will also take part in the jubilee conference.
