Welcome to the homepage of ETML (the Estonian Association of Masters in Conference Interpreting and Translation)!
We live in a globalising world, which means that international communication is becoming more and more important. Both interpreters and translators are important mediators in this process. To guarantee good results, they need to be true professionals.
Training to become a professional interpreter or translator in Estonia has its beginnings in 1999, when MA programmes for conference interpreters and translators began to be offered at the University of Tartu. Since 2002 similar programmes are also on offer at the MA level at the University of Tallinn. All the curricula have now been harmonised with MA studies lasting two years.
Most trained interpreters and translators work in their specialised field after graduation. They are most often employed on the Estonian market, but a part also work for the EU institutions and other international organisations, some working as freelancers, while others are employed on the basis of longer-term contracts. It is worth mentioning that many international organisations only employ interpreters or translators that have gone through studies certifying them as such.
The members of the Estonian Association of Masters in Conference Interpreting and Translation are highly qualified professionals, though maintaining and developing their knowledge and skills calls for life-long learning. This was the driving force for the creation of ETML. It aims to:
- serve as an umbrella organisation for qualified conference interpreters and translators, i.e. those having completed the relevant MA program;
- increase awareness in the field of interpreting and translating, enhance the professional capacity of practicing interpreters and translators, providing for that end relevant training to its members to maintain and develop their professional competence;
- establish contacts with other organisations for interpreters and translators both in Estonia and elsewhere, with people and organisations that need interpreters and translators, with other interpreters and translators, and with the general public;
- find new training possibilities in the field of interpretation, translation, languages and other relevant subjects.