Bridging the Gap between Academia and the Market
Laila Galal Rizk
Faculty of Al Alsun (Languages)
Ain Shams University
Current status of translation teaching in Egyptian universities
The skills gap between academia and the market
Bridging the gapAl Alsun –Arabize Cooperation
Model
Presentation Overview
Current Status of Translation Teaching
1. Lack of a systematic approach in developing translation courses.
2. Teaching of traditional domains, including political, economic, literary translation, etc.
Current Status of Translation Teaching
3. Little knowledge of new emerging areas in the field, including localization and machine translation.
4. No exposure to other translation-related roles, such as those of terminologist, computational linguist, localizer, and technical writer.
Current Status of Translation Teaching
5. Limited exposure to translation genres used in international organisations, the language policies of such organisations, and the working environment they provide for translators.
6. Lack of professional skills and issues in translation courses, including revising and editing, ethics, quality control, and client education.
Current Status of Translation Teaching
7. Unfamiliarity with the various types of tools currently used in the market, such as machine translation, translation memory, on-line dictionaries, and website automation technologies.
1.Learning and innovations
skills;
2. Digital literacy skills;
3. Life and career skills.
21st Century Skills: Learning for Life In Our Times Trilling and Fadel (2009)
1. Oral & written communication
2. Critical thinking & problem
solving
3. Professionalism & work ethics
4. Team work and collaboration
The Gap between Academia and the Market
5. Working in diverse teams
6. Applying technology
7. Leadership & project management
(Trilling & Fadel 7)
The Gap between Academia and the Market
Recommendations of Al Alsun Forum on “Academic Programs
and the Job Market”
Al Alsun, Ain Shams University
March 5, 2013
The Gap between Academia and the Market
Technology skills and applications. Writing and editing skills Arabic language skills Initiative and self-direction Productivity and accountability Leadership and responsibility
The Gap between Academia and the Market
Bridging the Gap between Academia and the Market
Paradigm Shift
Instruction Paradigm
Deliver instruction Improve the quality
of instructionLearning basic
skills & facts
Learning Paradigm
Enable learner Improve the quality
of students’ learningHigher order skills
Paradigm Shift
Instruction Paradigm
Curriculum development
Presentational use of technology (passive: ppt., webcasts, …)
Learning Paradigm
Learning technologies development
Developmental use of technology (active: manipulate, reflect, use, share, ….)
Introduce TT skills in translation courses (hands-on experience with machine translation, translation memory, localization software and terminology management systems).
Integrate higher order skills in the
translation curricula.
Bridging the Gap: Suggestions
Bridging the Gap: Suggestions Bring in the practical expertise of the
industry in content, curriculum design, pedagogies, and materials of translation courses.
Encourage the close collaboration between translation teachers and industry partners to ensure that courses possess the maximum of professional relevance.
Al Alsun –Arabize Cooperation
Model
Al Alsun –Arabize CooperationModel
Awareness-raising sessions: introducing new areas; providing a link between academia & the market.
Industry input in the curricula of the new Translation Program.
Al Alsun –Arabize CooperationModel
Collaboration on courses introducing localization concepts and tools.
Providing training opportunities for students.
Final Thought
Egypt’s position as an important educational and cultural centre in the Arab World.
Potential and large marketplace for translation and interpretation.
Translation courses should make learning relevant by addressing the gap between academia and the translation industry and enhancing the access of the labour market for translation graduates.
Thank you!