On The Improvement Of Interpreter Training At MTI Programs In Chinese Universities

Since2007, China has opened across the country a new master degree—Master of Translationand Interpretation (MTI) for turning out professional interpreters and translators. It can bedivided into two parts--Master of Translation (MT) and Master of Interpreting (MI). Afundamental reason for this recent establishment of MTI is the increasing awareness that apeaceful and prosperous China in the21stcentury with steady and sustainable developmentshall largely depend upon China’s ability of carrying out effective and reciprocal exchangesand cooperation with other countries. As the vehicle for such exchanges and cooperation,professional interpreters and translators will play an important role in China’s future.Before the opening of MTI, there are only a small number of universities in China devoted toprofessional interpreter training and those having incorporated such training programs mainlyfocus on conference interpreter training, with particular emphasis on teaching simultaneousinterpreting skills. However, the market abounds in interpreting jobs where simultaneousinterpreting skills are not involved at all, such as liaison interpreting. Based on thisunderstanding, this paper concentrates on MI and gives a general description of the currentMI interpreter training program. Then by referring to previous interpreting studies concerninginterpreter training, the author gives some suggestions about how to improve these MIprograms.