Master’s Degree Programme “Translation and Interpreting in International Relations” in light of Ukraine’s European Integration

A unique Master’s programme, Translation and Interpreting in International Relations, has been launched at the Educational and Scientific Institute of International Relations. The programme aims to train highly qualified specialists in legal translation and linguistic support for European Union institutions. It adopts an interdisciplinary approach, combining advanced translation competencies with in-depth training in international relations, law, and international organisations. Above all, the programme was developed in line with the standards of the European Master’s in Translation label (EMT).

The growing intensity of European integration processes underscores the relevance of this programme. Ukraine needs to ensure the translation of European Union legal acts into Ukrainian in advance, while preparing specialists capable of supporting the smooth functioning of European institutions following the country’s accession to the EU. Another key objective is the translation of Ukrainian legislation into the official languages of the European Union, primarily English.

Nowadays, approximately 3,000 translators and nearly 800 interpreters are employed within European Union institutions. Once Ukrainian is granted official EU language status, specialists in document translation and simultaneous interpreting, as well as linguistic assistants, lawyer-linguists, and professionals in language editing and proofreading, are expected to become highly sought after.

The Master’s Degree Programme “Translation and Interpreting in International Relations” fully complies with EMT quality standards. This label is awarded by the Directorate-General for Translation of the European Commission exclusively to educational programmes that foster the development of six core competences of a modern translator, namely:

• Language & Culture Competence – professional multilingual proficiency, command of diverse genres, registers, and specialized terminology with the ability to convey meaning accurately and act as an intercultural mediator;

• Translation Competence – analysis of source texts, reasonable choice of translation strategies, editing skills, self-monitoring, and quality assurance;

• Technological Competence – proficiency in CAT tools, machine translation and post-editing, handling multimodal and translation datasets;

• Service Provision Competence – effective client communication, project management, and adherence to professional standards;

• Personal & Interpersonal Competence – autonomy, soft skills, teamwork, time management, and lifelong learning;

• Domain-Specific Competence – clearly defined professional specialization, particularly in legal translation and translation for international and European institutions.

EMT standards fundamentally differ from traditional approaches to translation training. Throughout their studies, students do not merely complete academic exercises but engage with real-life translation cases. Future professionals are prepared to rapidly analyse tasks, act autonomously, and assume responsibility for the outcomes, working under conditions of uncertainty, with no single “correct” solution to be discovered.

Similar Master’s and postgraduate programmes developed in compliance with the quality standards of the European Master’s in Translation (EMT) label are already being implemented across various countries of the European Union. Introducing such a programme in Ukraine represents a strategic step that not only ensures the training of a new generation of translators but also contributes to Ukraine’s full integration into the European space.