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Background

Training of Translators and Interpreters

A total of about 400 graduates had been trained by the School by 2006 (it would be noted, however, that the Fifth Five-Year Economic, Social and Cultural Development Plan of Cameroon 1981-1986 (p. 387) had envisaged that at least 300 professionals would be need in Cameroon by 1986). Up to 1999/2000, all national graduates of ASTI were automatically offered a job in Cameroon’s civil service. As a matter of fact, the School was designed principally with the purpose of providing the Public Service with an adequate supply of professional translators and interpreters commensurate to the needs of the country. Following a recommendation from Government officials that year, all prospective national applicants to ASTI are now systematically advised that such automatic employment by the civil service is no longer guaranteed after training. Besides, the professional framework and actual practice have been witnessing rather rapid and drastic changes in terms of diversification and specialisation, and in terms of theoretical and technological knowledge required of each practitioner worthy of the name.

 

Research in Translation, Interpretation and Terminology

It is worthy of note that of about 400 M.A. dissertations defended at ASTI, over 50% are terminological glossaries, around 25% focus on literary translation in general and commented translation in particular, while less than 25% touch on a variety of areas, including translation theory, translation history, translation from/into African languages,  and much less on bilingualism. Curiously so, very little or no student research is on interpretation, which is however in great demand today. On the other hand, ASTI publishes Epasa Moto, a scholarly journal of letters and Social sciences, jointly with University of Buea’s Faculty of Arts. Moreover, the School has been involved in a number of major surveys, notably: Survey of the Translation and Interpretation Job in Cameroon (1999) and A Tracer Study of Graduates of the Advanced School of Translators and Interpreters (2004). Staff research has also been very much alive, with individual members of staff publishing in peer-review journals such areas of interest as corpus translation studies, translation theory, drama translation, literary translation, translation history etc.

 

Consultancy and Community Outreach

The School has so far organised a few refresher courses, notably for the Economic Commission for Africa, and on computer assisted translation. The above-mentioned Survey and Tracer Study however show a much higher demand for such courses than ASTI has been able to offer so far. Furthermore, it can be argued that ASTI has been instrumental in the implementation of Cameroon’s official bilingualism policy. The School has contributed actively to the review of the current Combined B.A. in English and French of the University of Buea and to the activities of the Ministry of Higher Education’s Ad Hoc Committee on the Enhancement of Bilingualism in Cameroon State Universities. However, the School needs to commit itself even further to the achievement of this mission, notably through new programmes and courses as well as through purposely designed research work.

 

Strategic Objectives

In view of the foregoing, the 2007-2012 Strategic Development Plan seeks to enable the School achieve a set of objectives in terms of the following:

• Training;
• Degrees and certificates;
• Research and cooperation;
• Administration and logistics;
• Funding.

 

Training

The School will seek to conform with the current trends of curriculum needs in Cameroon and the world over, which indicate preference for more diversified training options in terms of language combination and areas of specialisation as well as for the strict implementation of the Bachelor’s, Master’s and Ph.D. or BMP system. In this regard, it will need to achieve the following objectives:

• Review the existing programme structure in conformity with the requirements of the BMP system and current market needs (2007-2009);
• Organise and equip Division III to enhance the School’s capacity to achieve  its mission in matters of bilingualism and interculturality, and thus provide an increased input in view of the promotion of official bilingualism in English and French as well as translation from/into national languages (from 2008);
• Introduce a B.A., an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Translation and Intercultural Studies from 2008-2009;
• Attract more trainees from both Cameroon and abroad, including working students, through  more flexible programme structures (by 2010);
• Organise refresher courses for practicing translators and interpreters from 2008;
• Organise regular short courses in the  areas of translation, interpretation, terminology and related areas (from 2008);
• Offer both face-to-face and distance mode tuition (by 2010);
• Diversify training programmes to include both specialist and general training, together with the introduction of more languages (from 2007-2008);
• Introduce a conducive set up for the reception of  distance education material, notably by video-conferencing for the training of student interpreters in the Interpretation Laboratory by 2008;
• Recruit more full-time teaching staff and thus revert  the current ratio of 75% part-time vs 25% full time (from 2007-2008);
• Organise staff development activities with due respect to syllabus content and specialisation needs (from 2007);
• Train ASTI teachers on distance education methods and techniques (from 2008).

 

Degrees and Certificates

The School will seek to have a more diversified structure, namely the following:

 

Undergraduate degrees

• B.A. in Translation and Intercultural Studies (by 2008/2009);
• Combined B.A. in Translation and Journalism and Mass Communication (by 2011/2012).

 

Postgraduate degrees

• M.A. in Interpretation (from 2008/2009);
• M.A. in English-French Translation (from 2007);
• M.A. in French-English Translation (from 2007);
• M.A. in Translation with Spanish  as second or third language (from 2007);
• M.A. in Translation with German as second or third language (from 2007);
• M.A. in Translation with Arabic as second or third language (from 2007);
• M.A. in Specialised Translation from (2010);
• M.A. in Translation and Intercultural Studies (from 2010);
• Ph.D. in Translation and Intercultural Studies (from 2008).

 

Certificates (through short courses)

• Certificate in Interpretation (from 2008-2009);
• Certificate in Translation (from 2008-2009);
• Certificate in Terminology (from 2009).

 

Research and Cooperation

Much remains to be done to promote organised team research programmes and projects which will benefit both students and staff. In this regard, the School will strive to achieve the following objectives:

Research

• Set up research programmes and teams around specific research themes, in tune with actual needs and current developments (by 2009);
• Encourage original staff and student research (from 2007);
• Update the Survey of the Translation and Interpretation Job in Cameroon (in 2008);
• Update the Tracer Study of Graduates of the Advanced School of Translators and Interpreters (in 2008);
• Carry out theoretical and applied research in the teaching and practice of translation,  interpretation and related subjects (from 2007);
• Carry out advanced research on Cameroon’s official bilingualism in view of national integration and development (from 2009);
• Carry out translation, interpretation and terminology research involving national languages (from 2008);
• Set up an electronic terminology database  for both the national and the regional  translation, interpretation and terminology market (in 2008);
• Review and improve on the journal Epasa Moto and ensure a more sustainable publication thereof (in 2007-2008).

 

Cooperation

• Strengthen existing cooperation links (from 2007);
• Network with sister institutions for the training of trainers in the fields of translation, interpretation and terminology (from 2007);
• Explore more avenues for cooperation with emphasis on joint research and publications, joint degrees, staff and student exchange and internship placements (from 2007).

 

Administration and Logistics

Currently available manpower, organisational and administrative structures as well as communication and logistics at ASTI will need to be reviewed significantly if the School intends to expand reasonably in order to become more cost-effective and competitive in the face of current needs and changes in the professional world.

 

Administrative and Structural Development

• Determine the trend of administrative management and needs (in 2007-2008);
• Review the regulatory instruments governing the administrative structure  of the School in conformity to the 1992 University Reforms and current requirements (in 2007-2008);
• Recruit more administrative and support staff in view of expansion needs (from 2007-2008).

 

Institutional Communication

• Develop an efficient communication strategy to raise public awareness of the activities of the School in order to attract more students and partners (from 2007);
• Improve on internal communication strategies  e.g. through the creation of an ASTI Newsletter (from 2008);
• Travel across the country to publicise the School and its activities (from 2007);
•  Organise visits to sister universities and Schools  as well as targeted international and foreign national institution within the sub-region to explore possibilities of formal cooperation and collaboration (from 2007);
• Design, host and manage a website with all necessary updates from 2007;
• Provide School’s administrative and teaching blocks with internet facilities (from 2007).

 

Logistics

• Determine the trend of infrastructure development and needs;
• Provide the School with an Academic and Administrative Block in view of the need for academic and  administrative expansion (in 2009);
• Activate and equip Division III as provided for by the presidential  order creating the School and in view of the key role it has to play in the planned structural development of the programmes (from 2008);
• Set up a Consultancy Unit (from 2008-2009);
• Renovate the Interpretation Laboratory and the mobile interpretation equipment, (2007-2009);
• Provide the School with a translation teaching laboratory with the required workstations and other equipment (from 2008);
• Provide the School with a modern translation, interpretation and terminology research laboratory (in 2009).

 

Funding

While the School will initially rely on increased State subsidies to acquire the basics needed for self development, it will need to find appropriate measures to generate more income in order to achieve an increasing degree of autonomy.  It will therefore seek to:

• Significantly improve on income-generation activities, notably through the renovated mobile interpretation equipment, organised consultancy services, increased student numbers and more regular short courses (from 2007-2008);
• Seek more State subsidies for the construction and equipment of an ASTI block, a  Translation Laboratory and the Consultancy Unit (from 2007-2008);
• Seek more external funding through cooperation with partners, for the financial support of staff development, teaching and research (from 2007-2008).