SCIT – News

23-25 August 2019: SCIT takes part in Translation Forum Russia

30 August 2019|

On 23-25 August St. Petersburg hosted Translation Forum Russia, and SCIT took an active part in it bringing in its program a exciting variety of events: SCIT trainers held a training session for translators Teaching Translation: View from SCIT , we invited Florika Fink-Hooijer, Director General of DG SCIC of the European Commission, and Mikhail Kuzmenko, Senior Reviser in the RTS at UNOG, who participated in the plenaries and conducted a round table on blended learning in T&I training. Cecilia Elizalde, director of the UN Documentation Division, also attended the Forum and took part in the plenary session and moderated the session on minimizing the gap between the professional market and T&I training.

SCIT graduates’ presentations enjoyed great success, too. Kirill Kazakov spoke about the specificity of interpreting in the higher echelons, Grigory Khaustov held a master-class on interpreting in wine-making and wine-tasting. Withing the Student edition of the forum SCIT graduates organized the session Tree of Opportunities, where young professionals described their way in the profession. Lena Zheltova, Kirill Kazakov, Anastasia Gavrilina, and Grigory Khaustov explained why they decided to become interpreters, where and when they studied, how they entered the job market and where looked for jobs, what they do now. We thank all TFR participants for the interest to the School!

SCIT welcomes high-ranking diplomats

11 June 2019|

The academic year at SCIT rounds up with a series of meetings with high-ranking Russian dipolmats. On 7 June SCIT students and Herzen Univesity undergraduates attended the lecture by Kirill Barski, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary II Class. He is an experienced diplomat and sinologist, worked as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia in Thailand, and Permanent Representative of Russia in ESCAP in Bangkok. His lecture focused on topical issues in today’s Asia, the place it takes in Russia’s foreign policy, and the role of the interpreter in promoting cooperation in the Orient. The talk was interesting and enlightening for the students who study Oriental languages at Herzen University and SCIT students, one of who is preparing for the internship with ESCAP.

On 8 June SCIT hosted Vladimir Chizhov, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation in the European Union and IAEA. Mr. Chizhov was taking part in the work of St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, and on the margins of his visit found time for the meeting with SCIT students. In the meeting he spoke about the current European situation in the wake of European parliamentary elections, the problems Europe and Russia should address jointly, and Europe’s place in Russia’s foreign policy. He also touched upon the specificity of the diplomatic translation and the prospects of Russian-Chinese economic cooperation. Vladimir Chizhov also gave advice and recommendation concerning students’ future professional growth.

SCIT students interpret at V International Gelological Congress

7 June 2019|

From 29 May to 1 June 2019 SCIT students were actively involved as interpreters in the proceedings of the V International Gelological Congress Laughter and Communication hosted by Herzen University. Originally planned as an addition to the weekly schedule, the event grew to be a full-scale interpreting project where SCIT students performed as a team.

The Congress organizers expressed their sincere gratitude to Director Irina Alexeeva for organizing the project, and SCIT students for doing a wonderful job of it.

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SCIT – UCLouvain cooperation continues

14 May 2019|

On 13-17 May 2019 SCIT hosts Maria Maçarskaia, an interpreter trainer from the Catholoc University of Louvain-la-Neuve. Her visit is organized within the frame of the academic mobility program under the Erasmus + Agreement signed between Herzen University and UCLouvain. Maria Maçarskaia holds master-classes for the students with French, attends the classes of the SCIT colleagues, participates in the events at Herzen University and enjoys St. Petersburg’s cultural life. There is no doubt that the visit will be very productive and will strengthen the ties between SCIT and UCLouvain’s T&I program.

SCIT participates in MIIS Jubilee Conference

6 May 2019|

On 4 and 5 May 2019 Middleberry Institute of International Studies at Monterey hosted the conference to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the T&I and Localization program in Monterey. SCIT representatives – Director Irina Alexeeva and Deputy Director Angelique Antonova took part in the festive events as well as in the conference program. SCIT and Televic Education presented their joint project for teaching/assessing interpreter students in a professional setting. SCIT-Televic Education cooperation was used as a shoswcase to demonstrate how important it is to provide customized software and machinery for quality trainig of future language specialists.

Upon the completion of the forum Irina Alexeeva and Angelique Antonova were invited by Rosa Kavenoki, Director of the Russian T&I Program at Monterey, to hold a series of meetings and master-classes for the MIIS students.

SCIT takes part in the UN MoU Universities Conference

3 May 2019|

On 2 and 3 May 2019 MIIS, Monterey, hosted the 6th United Nations MoU Universities Conference. The forum was devoted to the topical issues of preparing United Nations language professionals for the challenges of today and the future. The particpants spoke about their experience of implementing the Memorandum, showcased the joint projects of partner universities, shared the views on distant learning practices. SCIT Deputy Director Angelique Antonova took part in the discussions on the quality assurance in training students for the UN Competitive Language Examinations.

Meeting at UN

30 April 2019|

On 29 May the UN Department for General Assembly and Conference Management hosted the Herzen University delegation. Catherine Pollard, Under-Secretary-General for General Assembly and Conference Management, and Movses Abelian, Assistant to Under-Secretary General, were happy to welcome in the UN Headquarters Yulia Komarova, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation, Irina Alexeeva, SCIT Director, and Angelique Antonova, SCIT Deputy Director. The participants of the meeting discussed the cooperation under the Memorandum of Understanding between our institutions, stressing the imporatnce of virtual classes, master-classes of practicing interpreters and internships. The Herzen University and SCIT leaders thanked the UN DGACM for their efforts to promote cooperation, and Ms. Pollard and Mr. Abelian congratulated SCIT on the new achievements of SCIt graduates in the UN Language Competitive Examinations.

UN LCE: congratulations to successful SCIT graduates!

26 April 2019|

We are happy to inform that 6 SCIT graduates are among those lucky ones who passed the UN competitive language examinations and are now on the UN roster. Our congratulations go to Anastasia Gavrilina, Vadim Iermolenko, Sergey Zhiliuk, Artem Petrov, MArina Tkacheva, and Eugenia Yakovchik. Our heartiest congratulations!

22-26 April 2019: Master-classes of Ian Newton

26 April 2019|

On 22-26 April SCIT hosted Ian Newton, former ILO Chief-Interpreter and trainer from FTI, Geneva University. With the Dual Degree Agreement still in operation between our schools, Mr. Newton was invited to give a series of master-classes in retour for the SCIT students. The guest lecturer was able to give the students necessary guidance and shared professional tips in interpreting into English, which are invaluable in the final lap of the academic year. The students appreciated the expertise, but also the engaging personality of Mr. Newton. Looking forward to new meetings with Ian!

ToT Seminar from EMCI Vice-President at SCIT

16 April 2019|

On 10-12 April 2019 SCIT hosted a Training of Trainers Seminar which was run by Alessandra Riccardi, EMCI Vice-President. The seminar was devoted to giving feedback in interpreter training, and SCIT trainers and Herzen IFL teachers were invited to participate.

The seminar addresses various theoretical and practical aspects of feedback: its aims and objectives, different forms of feedback, different approaches to feedback, interpreting quality criteria and feedback, progression and differences in feedback.

SCIT students were also enthusiastic participants of the ToT seminar. Their interpretation in consecutive and simultaneous modes served as exercise for trainers in giving feedback. Feedback plays a key role in conference interpreting training. It enables students to learn to analyze and evaluate their errors, to minimize or avoid repetition of the same types of mistakes, to build up a mental model of what their interpretation should be like, and gives them orientation with concrete examples and signals what they are aiming at.