In today’s information era, interpretation and translation have become essential tools in international exchange. In addition, interpretation and translation contribute to improving a nation’s competitiveness and to establishing a country’s cultural image.

 

As the demand for interpretation and translation services is increasing, there is a growing need to improve the standard and environment of interpretation and translation through a certification system. A certification system is meaningful in that it helps improve the profesional standard of interpretation and translation and build expertise by screening interpreters/translators.

Since the founding of Ewha GSTI, on completion of the 2 year interpretation program, students have taken Graduate Exams and Interpretation Certification Exams. The Graduate exam is held after the student has finished the four semesters: Those who pass the exam graduate with a master’s degree. Students who pass the Graduate Exams are eligible for the Interpretation Certification Exams.

In the beginning, the exams were administered under the name of Conference Interpretation Qualification Exams. In 2001, the exams were re-named Conference Interpretation Certification Exams.

Graduate Exams and Certification Exams are administered twice a year (June/December). A student is allowed to take Graduate Exams 4 times within 2 years of completion of study. Certification Exams can be taken 3 times within a 3 year period and is only open to those who have passed the Graduate Exams. In the case of translation, since 2004, Certification Exams have been administered to only those who have passed Graduate Exams.

Those who have finished courses in the Interpretation Department and have passed the graduation exam are qualified to take the Interpretation Certification Exam. The conference interpretation certification exam is the most distinguishing feature of Ewha GSTI’s Interpretation Department and at once its biggest strength. Individuals who have passed the certification exam are graduates who have the skills to be certified to work as freelance conference interpreters. Individuals who have passed the certification exam are qualified to be contracted as simultaneous interpreters by ERITS.

The translation certification exam is a rather recently introduced system which started based on a similar background with the interpretation certification exam. The Ewha GSTI runs separate departments for interpretation and translation majors with the goal of deepening expertise in the respective fields. Such a separation of interpretation and translation is reflected in evaluation methods including in the certification exam.
Though the size of the translation market has grown by a large scale, the users of these services are still unaware of the extent to which translation is a specialized skill. Top translators are not given the acknowledgement that their skills merit and the translation market is characterized by disorder in which translated materials are not subject to proper evaluation. For this reason, Ewha GSIT has implemented a translation certification exam in order to nurture individuals who have been objectively evaluated to have the necessary translation skills.

ERITS has translated books on interpretation and translation studies published in different countries and published them in Korean. It has been developing interpretation and translation related textbooks, which will contribute quantity and quality-wise to Korea’s interpretation and translation studies. This will ultimately serve as the foundation for the growth of the currently practice-based interpretation and translation education and research methodology. In addition, ERITS takes on a leadership role in interpretation and translation education by organizing Training of Trainers(TOT) workshops for trainers and refresher courses for practitioners and providing commissioned training and non-degree programs.