International Perspectives on Sign Language Interpreting

Sign Language Interpreter Training in Finland

Sign Language Interpreter Training in Finland 15 M A R J U K K A N I S U L A A N D J U H A M A N U N E N IN FINLAND, sign language interpreter training programs are provided at the university level. The training involves completion of 240 points according to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) and requires four years of full-time study at a university of applied sciences. Three sign language interpreter training programs exist in Finland: at the Humak University of Applied Sciences (Humanistinen ammattikorkeakoulu) in Helsinki and Kuopio and at the Diaconia University of Applied Sciences (Diakonia-ammattikorkeakoulu) in Turku.1 A prerequisite for the training is a secondary level diploma from a high school or from some other secondary-level education. The sign language interpreter degree produces professional interpreters and translators. In Helsinki the training has also been offered to deaf students, with four deaf students graduating from the program so far. The training, under the direction of the Ministry of Education , meets the standards of higher education. The structure of the curriculum emphasises Finnish Sign Language (FinSL) and Finnish spoken language studies, professional studies in the field of FinSL, research studies , and professional specialization studies. During the training, students also undertake internships under supervision and guidance. THE FINNISH CONTEXT In order to provide a backdrop to sign language interpreter training in Finland, we begin with an overview of spoken language interpreting and translation, the status of Finnish Sign Language (FinSL), and the regulation 1. For Humak, see http://www.humak.edu and for Diaconia, see http://www.diak.fi. 16 MARJUKKA NISULA AND JUHA MANUNEN and provision of sign language interpreting services throughout the country. Interpreters and Translators of Spoken Languages The first language institutions to specialize in translator training were founded in Finland in 1966 in Tampere and Turku, and in 1968 in Savonlinna and in Kouvola. These institutions led to the graduation of qualified translators (Saksa, 2004). As the training for translators and interpreters transferred to the control of universities in Canada and Germany , the same process occurred in Finland. The language institutions vanished from the educational structure in 1981 as they came under the control of the closest universities: The language institutions in Tampere and Turku transferred to the universities of those cities—Kouvola coming under the control of Helsinki University and Savonlinna under the control of Joensuu University. At Vaasa University, training for Swedish language translators began, and in the middle of the 1990s a French translation program was established at Helsinki University. Today most of the translators who have graduated from these institutions are working for the European Union (EU) in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg (Saksa). When Finland became a member country of the EU in 1995, interpreter training became more effective in Finland. In Turku University a specialized conference interpreter training program was established at postgraduate level (Saksa, 2004). While this training does not give certification for translators and interpreters, the degree does give employers an idea of what kind of academic demands the degree involves and how professionals evaluate translators or interpreters. Sworn translators and qualified translators are not required to have a university degree as long as they pass the examination given by the degree board of translators (Kääntäjien tutkintolautakunta) at the Finnish National Board of Education. The board includes university professors and teachers. There is a professional examination system for community interpreters, which is under the control of the Finnish National Board of Education (Saksa). The degree board of translators has several functions: It initiates degrees for qualified translators; grants the degrees and the right to work as a qualified translator , and supervises the action of qualified translators and maintains the register of qualified translators.2 2. See http://www.oph.fi. FINLAND 17 Founded in 1955, the Association of Finnish Translators and Interpreters (since Finland has two official languages, Finnish and Swedish, the association is known as Suomen kääntäjien ja tulkkien liitto in Finnish (SKTL) and Finlands översättar- och tolkförbund ry in Swedish). The association is divided into sections of literature, translation of documents and audiovisual instruments, interpretation, teaching, and research. To recognize excellence in the field, each year the SKTL bestows the Mikael Agricola award to the most distinguished Finnish translator,3 and the J.A. Hollo award to the most distinguished translator of science literature (Saksa, 2004...