Message from the Head of the Department

As the perception of the translation profession has shown a significant improvement in today's world of communication and networks, the recognition and prestige of translators and interpreters gain importance day by day. Nowadays, the education and training of translation and interpreting students have been adjusted to the professional life and its requirements in order to provide the students and graduates with the skills necessary to compete in the growing international translation business sector.

Within the framework of this background, Atılım University Department of Translation and Interpretation is keen on sustaining high quality in teaching principles and methods and on making use of the latest technological tools and devices to better equip the students with the facts of professional life. Our programme offers B.A. and M.A. degrees and is one of the leading programmes in academic and social activities within the body of higher education in Turkey. We are the only Turkish University which is a Fédération Internationale des Traducteurs (FIT - The International Federation of Translators) member. Last but not least, our programme is a partner in OPTIMALE network and project, which is an Erasmus Academic Network involving 70 partners from 32 different European countries. OPTIMALE is funded through an EU grant of over 1 million Euros. OPTIMALE, which we are proud to be a member of, is closely in contact with the EMT (European Master’s in Translation) network, which we are in the very competitive process of applying for its membership, too. In line with the aim of our Department, the aim of OPTIMALE is to increase the awareness for a professionally-oriented translator training in a multilingual Europe and to enhance the status of the profession of translation in all its applications.

Our programme has always maintained a good balance between theoretical and practical aspects of translation/interpreting education and training. Our students go through a curriculum which comprises theoretical courses as well in order to become fully informed about translation studies which is the foundation of all practical and applied works of the translation profession.

I wish success for all our students and graduates in their professional and academic lives and hope to be in contact with them in the future as well.