From a TEMPUS project

to a Delocalized Master

A case from Azerbaijan University of Languages

Jala GaribovaBaku 2013

511329 – TEMPUS-1-2010-1- AZ-TEMPUS-

JPCR

(TEMPUS IV, 3-cü çağırış)

511329 – TEMPUS-1-2010-1-AZ-TEMPUS-JPCR

(TEMPUS IV, 3rd call)

Reforming Interpreting and Translation Studies in Azerbaijan

(RITSA)

Project Coordination►Azerbaijan University of Languages

►First time coordination of a TEMPUS project in Azerbaijan

Duration15 October 2010 – 15 October 201336 months

Funding 1, 076, 000 Euro

Azerbaijan universities and organizations participating in

the project►Azerbaijan University of Languages

(coordinator)►Ministry of Education of the Azerbaijan

Republic (associate partner)►Nakhchivan State University►Ganja State University► Lankaran State University►Baku In-service Teacher Training and

Retraining Institute

EU Universities►University of Strasbourg/ITIRI (France)►University of Leipzig (Germany)►Scuole Civiche di Milano (Italy)►University of Essex (Great Britain)

Azerbaijan University of Languages(AUL)

AUL offers bachelor, master and doctoral degrees in Foreign Languages, Linguistics, Literature, Interpreting and Translation, International Relations, Regional Studies and Journalism. More than 15 languages are taught here through the above-mentioned study programs. AUL is the oldest institution for language teaching and teacher training in Azerbaijan and has developed national standards for language study programs at other institutions. Under the partnership with SOROS AUL established an Academic Reading and Writing Center for training language teachers. AUL has designed summer intensive Azerbaijani language program for US students under the US State Department funded National Security Language Initiative. In 2005 AUL- first in Azerbaijan, transferred to credit system. AUL is a member of Alliance of Universities for Democracy and European University Association. AUL maintains partnership relations with a number of Universities and education associations in EU, US, Middle East, Turkey, South Asia. Several double-degree and delocalized programs have been developed with US and EU Universities (SUNY Cortland, University of Strasbourg, University of Essex)

University of Strasbourg/ITIRI (France)► ITIRI is an institute of UdS (which currently has around 45,000 students), as is part of the

Faculty of Applied Languages and Humanities. It offers professional Master’s Degrees in the following fields: Translation, Interpreting, International Relations, European Studies, Communication and Economic Intelligence. 250 students are registered at the institute, with 50% coming from abroad and representing over 20 different nationalities. The teaching staff is largely made up of professionals (around 120 part-time lecturers) and the institute works in close cooperation with several external partners, such as national and European institutions, local and regional authorities and companies. Beyond it’s mission as a teaching institute, ITIRI has played an active role in a number of international cooperation projects including inter-university cooperation (joint diplomas, out-sourced diplomas).

► Role in the project

ITIRI is involved in the development of advanced curricula in translation and interpreting and its adjustment to ECTS requirements; organization of teacher trainings in EU and Azerbaijan for conference interpreting teachers; course design and development of teaching materials for the study programs; course design and development of study materials for life-long education programs for conference interpreters; equipment of the conference interpretation laboratory as envisioned under the project; assisting the partner universities to develop quality assurance procedures and translation and interpreting studies.

Activity Fields1. Capacity building in the language and translation

study field (training of teachers and teacher trainers)2. Establishing/improving and implementing of the study programs in translation and interpreting3. Setting-up infrastructure4. Establishing a framework for the life-long education program5. Implementation of Quality Assurance Plans6. Dissemination of the experience gained7. Ensuring sound Management of the project

Pre-TEMPUS Partnership History

with UdS►About 2 decades of collaboration in training specialists in Teaching French as a Foreign Language (undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels)

►Contribution to teacher-training in collaboration with the French Embassy in Azerbaijan

Establishing/improving and implementing of new study

programsDevelopment of new study programs at the

undergraduateand graduate levels

Graduate level programs: MA in field translation MA in Conference Interpreting

Dissemination of outcomes to other partner Universities of

Azerbaijan

Project requirements► ECTS compatibility► Student Mobility within the project► External Evaluation of the Program► Possible joint/double degrees for future

sustainability► Quality Assurance ► Sustainability

A joint program with an EU partner was seen as one of the

best options to achieve these goals

(Results: a double degree with UE and delocalization with ITIRI)

Sustainability and dissemination

►Fully equipped conference interpreting classrooms

►State-of-the-art conference hall with most advanced facilities

►Trainings for the translation specialists within the framework of LLL

►Trainings for the conference interpretation specialists

►Trainings for socially disadvantaged groups

Number of Students Benefiting from the Project during its

Lifetime►230 undergraduate students (from all

partner Universities (140 from AUL only)

►20 – graduate students

Years 2 and 3

Capacity Trained 18 teacher trainers (10- LAN, 6-TR, 2 -CI)and 46 teachers (18-LAN, 18-TR, 10-CI)trained in EU

Appr. 151 LAN teachers, 184 TR teachersand 30 CI trained in AZ

12 ADM staff trained in EU

24 QA staff in EU

Total trained capacity: Appr. 465

Aim of the New Partnership To ensure sustainability of the existing partnership (with the support of the French Embassy and EU programs) with AUL To achieve a new level of quality in delivery

of study programs To promote mobility To disseminate to other Universities in AZ

and to support outreach to students from other

Universities in AZ

Delocalization of Two Graduate Programs

►Conference Interpreting

►Field Translation

Program Structure► Graduate Studies at ITIRI: 1. Diploma of UdS (1st year) 2. Graduate Degree (2nd year)Diploma of UdS is delocalized and merged with the graduate

studies atAUL; the experimental graduate program at AUL covers 2 years:

thesecond year of this program is equivalent to the Diploma year of

UdS.Graduates receive the master degree from AUL and a Diploma of

UdSfrom ITIRI. Those who wish to pursue their graduate degree from

UdScan take their third year at ITIRI.

Methodology► The program is promoted among undergraduate level

students to prepare them from earlier stages► French language requirement for those who wish to study in

France is emphasized► The program is announced as an experimental one in the

admission program, and students enroll through general admission

► Alternatively, the group is formed after admission is finished► After the first year, students can stay at AUL or enter ITIRI for

1 year (diploma) or 2-year (degree) program► Graduates can stay at AUL and receive their master degree

from AUL and Diploma from UdS► Scholarships are sought for successful graduates who wish to

continue their studies for the 3rd year at ITIRI

Program Requirements► 180 credits minimum (thus it is

possible for 4th year students to apply for enrolling in the program in France (due to 3-year duration of undergraduate studies in France) – no degree from AZ

► French language requirements if the studies are continued at UdS

►Compatibility of ECTS and program contents

Challenges and Future Perspectives

►Having 2 languages in the curriculum (restrictions from the language law)

►Language restriction (no Azerbaijani at ITIRI)

►Sustainable financing►French language requirement

THANK YOU!

TƏŞƏKKÜR EDİRİK!