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 gap  Al 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 instruction  Learning basic skills & facts Learning Paradigm  Enable learner  Improve the quality of students’ learning  Higher 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

 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 Cooperation Model  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 Cooperation Model  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!