Tribune News Network
Doha
The Translation and Interpreting Institute (TII), part of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), was launched in 2012 and continues to make an impact locally, regionally and beyond. Dr Amal Al-Malki, Founding Dean of CHSS, speaks about TII’s success story.
Question: TII has been in existence for 10 years. What are you most proud of during that time?
Answer: TII has come a long way since its inception in 2012. While I am very proud of the institute’s growth, I am most proud of the quality it has sustained. TII has persevered throughout the last decade because of its strong, dedicated community despite various challenges, only to emerge stronger; such as adapting to the changes brought to us by the COVID-19 pandemic.
At TII, we currently deliver three Master of Arts programmes: the MA in Translation Studies and MA in Audiovisual Translation, both of which have been validated by the University of Geneva, and our latest, the MA in Intercultural Communication. There is also an opportunity for our graduates to pursue a PhD in Humanities and Social Sciences at CHSS, which TII is a part of, and I always feel the utmost pride when I see our alumni returning to pursue a PhD. Over the past 10 years, we have graduated 199 students, who are now active contributors to society, within their own professional fields and domains.
Our Language Centre has also grown immensely since TII was founded. We now offer 12 languages for adults, namely, Arabic, English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, and Turkish. That is in addition to eight languages for children and teenagers, namely, Arabic, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Turkish, Mandarin Chinese, and Portuguese. Over the past 10 years, we have welcomed more than 15,000 language learners from the local community; whether children, teenagers, avid travellers, diplomats, and executives, among others!
We also have the Translation and Training Centre (TTC) within TII, where we offer revision and proofreading services to Qatar Foundation centres and strategic partners in diverse fields, in the business, medical, and legal sectors, to name a few. Over the past 10 years, TTC has translated more than 13,000,000 words, delivered more than 2,000 interpreting sessions, and welcomed over 100 trainees.
Question:What would you like TII to achieve during the next 10 years and beyond?
Answer: I would love to see TII evolve into a leading international translation, interpreting, and educational language hub that invites students, academics, and professionals from all over the world and from different fields and professions. I would also love to see TII evolve into a historic institute with a strong, influential legacy that lives on for years to come.
Developing our graduate studies programmes, creating partnerships, and increasing collaborations with local and international universities is something we are constantly and effortlessly working towards here at TII. Professionally, we would also love to increase and extend our partnerships and collaborations with the various sectors in the State of Qatar, the region, and beyond.
Question: What changes have you seen during TII’s first 10 years?
Answer: When TII was first established, it was important to build a reputation and a network within the community in Qatar, and to gain the public’s trust. Now, I am very proud to see people choosing to visit TII with a curious mind-set to learn more and benefit from what we have to offer. Over the years, we have partnered and collaborated with over 70 entities within Qatar, the region, and internationally.
