Lourdes De Rioja

International Interpreting Services

My simultaneous kit DE EN: Bundestagsdebatte über Familienzusammenführungen

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Neil Munro has interpreted at the European institutions for over four decades. Obviously during that period he has seen massive changes. However, one aspect remains unaltered – the particular challenge of interpreting in simultaneous from German!

In these two contributions Neil firstly attempts an (unseen) simultaneous from a debate in the German Parliament. Then, once he has dusted himself down, he talks in more general terms about the difficulties of this exercise and points to techniques which he has found invaluable over the years.

The Knowledge Centre on Interpretation

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Knowledge Centre on Interpretation. What is it?
The KCI is a web-based platform, which provides an all-in-one, dynamic, collaborative space for all those who practise or who are interested in interpretation.
Open and free of charge to all, the Centre will unite diverse interpreter communities and facilitate the management and exchange of knowledge, the creation of synergies and the dissemination of best practice on not only conference interpretation but also other forms such as public service and legal interpretation.

What will I find on there?
Users can expect to find a wealth of material, including training tools, professional support, terminology resources, research and background reading, including e-books, articles and dictionaries.
Uniting the community both professionally and socially, the resource also boasts different communities and forums to discuss and share information, co-author WikiDocs, share news and events, publish content and network with one another.
The KCI is available in English to begin with. Over time, it will become available in all 24 of the EU’s official languages, allowing users to search and upload content in whichever language they choose.
The KCI is fully compatible with tablet and mobile interfaces.
Sign up today!

Go to ec.europa.eu/scic-kci and create your profile!
If you already have an EU Login account, you simply need to go onto the KCI, click on ‘EU Login’ on the top right corner, fill in your EU Login credentials, and then go to ‘create your profile’ under the Networking section. If you do not already have an EU Login account you can create one by clicking on ‘Create an EU Login account’ at the top right had corner, then follow the instructions above to create your profile and start sharing.

Virtual classes in training

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Virtual Classes programme


Virtual Classes are special videoconferences where SCIC experienced staff interpreters and trainers provide training support to partner universities.
Different training modules can be chosen by the universities on the basis of the Virtual training Menu; interpretation sessions for all the phases in the EMCI learning process or seminars on different subjects like Self-training (for students) or good practices of giving feedback(for trainers) .VCs can either be:
• Multilateral (e. g.: assessors from the Commission and another international institution evaluating students from one partner university);
• Bilateral (e.g.: assessors from either SCIC with one University only).
Interpreting sessions follow an agreed script: speech by trainers, simultaneous and consecutive interpreting by students, and assessment by assessors: content, message, extra-linguistics, omissions, and style.
This whole project started when the University of Geneva (ETI) developed a multipoint learning project in the framework of its virtual learning platform. This new system allowed the European Institutions to link up with universities via videoconference and to provide distant teaching assistance. SCIC participated for the first time as an observer on 27 November 2008. The experience has shown that this pedagogical support tool is working well and has the potential to supplement classical pedagogical assistance if and where needed.
Currently our more regular partners in this programme are among the following universities:Astrakhan State University, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca,Universitat autonòma de Barcelona,Boğaziçi Üniversitesi,Bilkent Üniversitesi,Universidad Pontificia Comillas (UPC),Universitas Carolina (Charles University) Prag,Comenius university, Bratislava,ELTE Fordító- és Tolmácsképző Tanszék (ELTE FTT), Budapest,École de Traduction et d’Interprétation (ETI) Genève,École Supérieure d’Interprétation et Traduction (ESIT) Paris,Università di Forli (SSLMIT),KU LEUVEN,Universidad de La Laguna (ULL),Universidade de Lisboa, (FLUL),Univerza Ljubljana,London Metropolitan University (LondonMet),University of Malta, Universidade,Pedagogica de Maputo,University of Nairobi,Petersburg Herzen University,Sofia University (Saint Klimt Ohridski),Università di Trieste (UNITS),University of Vilnius,: University of Warsaw,
Students participating in Virtual classes can fully benefit from the expertise of interpreters working for European institutions and have an idea of how ACI interinstitutional test panels evaluate performances.
Virtual Classes also go beyond that: they are inspirational whereby every interpretation student can have a flavour of the EU interpreters’ professionalism.

Fernando Leitao is staff interpreter at DG INTERPRETATION, SCIC, EUROPEAN COMMISSION.

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