Evaluation On Interpreting Students’ Competence

MTI(Master of Translation and Interpreting) program aims to produce“high-level, practical and professional” translators and interpreters. However, a large amount of interpreting graduates in MTI cannot satisfy the requirements of high-end interpreting market, for huge gaps exist between students’ real performance and education requirements on them. Most of the previous studies focus on MTI education and curriculum design while few studies probe into these gaps. So the author decides to do the survey so as to know more about in which aspects these gaps lie and by what ways students can narrow the gaps, with the hope of shedding some light on how universities with MTI program can improve recruitment standards and customized education and on how students can improve their own quality and competitiveness.The subjects of the survey are interpreting teachers for MTI program in six universities out of the first batch setting up MTI program. The survey starts with structured interviews based on two questions- What qualities do teachers think are required as an interpreting student in MTI program? Are there any gaps between real performance of students and education requirements on them? The interview result lays a foundation for the questionnaire design. The author continues the survey with questionnaires and supplementary interviews. The theme of the questionnaire is teachers’ evaluation on interpreter competence of MTI interpreting students. Then subjects are selected for semi-open interviews to give further information.Through this survey, the author has major findings as follows: Through interpreting courses, the interpreter competence of students has been improved. There are still gaps between their real performance and education requirements on them,especially in language proficiency and knowledge in specific field. This report offers constructive suggestions for interpreting students to improve their own interpreter competence. Meanwhile, it provides a reference for MTI institutions as to how to further improve MTI education.