The Institute for Translation and Interpreting
As a result of the internationalisation of nearly all areas of life (politics, culture, law, sports, media, the environment, humanitarian cooperation, etc.) and the globalisation of the economy, the need for professionally and academically trained translators and interpreters has seen continuous growth. The study of translation and its different disciplines (interpreting, intercultural communication, etc.) has also become more relevant in recent decades.
The professional opportunities for graduates of translation studies are diverse and include linguistic and cultural intermediary activities of all kinds. In addition to being active as technical translators as well as court, liaison and conference interpreters, translators and interpreters today offer numerous additional linguistic services, including communication and terminology management, technical documentation, localisation and diversity management, just to name a few. In providing these services, they have to be able to work with modern technical tools and professional systems for computer-assisted translation and electronic data and word processing.
To give students the best chances of success in their careers, the translation studies degree programmes prepare them for just such versatile professional profiles and the associated high demands on graduates. Besides the traditional translation skills, students will acquire practical skills for the professional use of modern information technologies as well as other key competences. All faculty members have relevant professional experience and extensive academic qualifications.
The theoretical foundations for translation and interpreting degree programmes stem from translation studies as well as — in part — from linguistics and cultural studies. Translation studies deals with all types of interlingual and intercultural communication. It encompasses the fields of translation and interpreting. However, terminology and terminography, text (type) linguistics and intercultural communication are also important research areas.
