European Master’s in Translation (EMT)

What is EMT?

The EMT network was established by the Directorate-General for Translation (DGT) of the European Commission to create a framework for collaboration among higher education institutions offering master’s programs in translation. The main goal of EMT is fully in line with the EU priorities for higher education: improve the quality of translator training in order to enhance the labour market integration of young language professionals. The EMT competence framework, drawn up by European experts, is at the core of the project. It defines the basic competences that translators need to work successfully in today’s market. More and more universities, also beyond the EU, use it as a model for designing their programmes. By training highly skilled translators in close cooperation with the language industry the EMT seeks, in the long run, to enhance the status of the entire translation profession in the EU.

What do EMT Universities Offer?

EMT programmes offer a Master’s degree, corresponding to a one- or two-year programme in translation (between 60 and 120 points in the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). At the core of each curriculum is a common set of basic skills in translation, regardless of the language combinations. The core of the EMT programmes is defined by the following six professional competences that graduates should acquire:

• translation service provision competence (including customer relationship management)
• language and intercultural competences (proficiency in source and target languages, text summary skills and ability to understand information containing cultural allusions)
• information mining competence (ability to search for information, by looking critically at various information sources)
• technological competence, especially in handling translation memories and terminology management
• domain-specific competence (knowledge in a specialist field for professional translation practice)

Translating Europe:

The main objective of Translating Europe is to engage with various stakeholders in the translation sector and to create a community of interest, with a view to giving visibility to the world of translation, sharing good practice, developing common projects, and promoting a diverse and sustainable market for professional translators in Europe. To this end, DGT organises an event in Brussels every year – the Translating Europe Forum – and various Translating Europe Workshops in the EU Member States. EMT network members have been among the most active partners of the initiative since the beginning. Many workshops, working groups, training activities, online and face-to-face meetings take place within this organization.

In its latest annual report, EMT says: ‘’The EMT network will also continue to monitor the latest trends in the profession. The rapid changes notably in the field of language technologies will inevitably have an impact on the way universities train future translators. With more sophisticated algorithms, the capacities in natural language processing will continue to improve, including more accurate machine translations. Moreover, the latest advances in AI, in particular the launch of conversational AI systems such as ChatGPT, have raised many questions about the way educational systems in general will develop in response.’’

EMT cooperation has significantly impacted the academic landscape in the field of translation. The establishment of common standards and the exchange of best practices have elevated the quality of master’s programs, ensuring that graduates are well-equipped to navigate the challenges of the translation profession. This collaboration fosters a sense of community among translation scholars and encourages a continuous dialogue on advancements in translation theory and practice. The translation industry continues to evolve, the importance of academic programs focusing on translation cannot be overstated. Efforts of organizations like EMT not only benefit individual translators but also contribute to the overall advancement and professionalism of the translation industry on a global scale. We eagerly wait the shaping of translation industry and academia in the years to come.