• Mission Statement

    Mission

    “Communication is Translation. Translation is Communication." By embracing and inheriting our founder’s spirit, the Babel University Professional School of Translation (BUPST) fulfils our mission to develop a high-quality, practical translation education program for English-to-Japanese and Japanese-to-English translation and provide our students with the knowledge and skills necessary for translation professionals.

     

    We strive to empower our students to realize their full potential and enable them to contribute to individuals, societies, education, industries, nations, and the world as “bridges of communication” for sharing and exchanging information, knowledge, wisdom, and insight which surpasses culture and language barriers around the world.

     

    Goals

    In order to achieve the mission stated above, BUPST educates its students to have the following competencies with key abilities, achieved through distance learning:

     

    Language Competence

    • Read and understand the source language accurately and deeply.
    • Write and express the target language in a stylish manner as well as in a way that is easily understood and is suited for each genre.
    • Read source materials and write, review, edit, proofread translated materials critically as a professional translator. Thinking critically does not mean grasping original or translated materials negatively, but rather, checking and considering the logical composition and content of the original and translated text to identify issues in translation, analyze them properly, and translate them appropriately.

     

    Expert Competence             

    • Develop and possess expertise in at least one area of specialization.
    • Develop specialized skill knowledge essential for each genre.
    • Acquire the techniques to research and obtain necessary information.

     

    Cultural Competence             

    • Understand the cultural background of the writer and the source materials.
    • Understand the cultural background of the target audience.
    • Integrate the understandings of both of these backgrounds to produce translation that will satisfy both the source and target cultures.

     

    IT Competence             

    • Use hardware and software applications required for translation.
    • Understand computer-aided translation (CAT) technology.
    • Acquire research skills using information technology (IT) tools.

     

    Managerial Competence                  

    • Have fundamental knowledge of the basic legal rights of a professional translator.
    • Be professional regarding time management, problem solving, work efficiency, and work effectiveness.
    • Demonstrate sufficient ability in leadership, coordination, and collaboration to execute team-based translation projects.

     

    Program Outcomes (Corresponding to Five Competencies)

    Upon successful completion, students will be able to do the following:

     

    • Translate skillfully while considering the client's needs, audience perception, and cultural differences of multiple countries from a professional translator's view point. (Language, Expert, and Cultural Competencies)
    • Translate using specialized terminology and expressions in one’s field of expertise. (Expert Competence )
    • Demonstrate a high level of writing, summarizing, drafting, proofreading skills. (Language and Expert Competencies)
    • Analyze, assess, and judge what key points would need to be discussed and explained to the client during a translation project and propose solutions proactively in a translation project to ensure smooth execution. (Language, Expert, Cultural, and Managerial Competencies)
    • Correctly estimate one’s work speed in advance to manage work schedules efficiently during translation projects. (Managerial Competence)
    • Demonstrate a high level of research skills necessary for any translation project. (Expert and IT Competencies)
    • Demonstrate basic IT skills to perform translation work in a professional manner. (IT Competence)

     Revised on July, 2018

  • The Five Competences for Acquiring Specialized Translation Skills


    Mastering the Five Competences necessary for acquiring specialized translation skills is essential for professional translators. These have been developed by close analysis of actual content encountered in the translation business. By systematically learning and mastering each of the five Competences, all our students are able to effectively acquire techniques expected of active professional translators in the global market.

    Language Competence

    Language skills are the first and primary skills translators need to acquire. Language skills include: the ability to read and interpret the source language (the language of the original text); the ability to write the target language (the language you are translating into); the ability to express the content in a way that is easily understood and is suited for each genre; and the ability to write and express the content in a stylish manner. Considering the fact that all documents in the translation business are intended to be read, professional translators should be always conscious of the audience while translating.

    Expert Competence

    Translation is needed in every industry where globalization is taking place. Therefore, professional translators are required to develop specialized skillknowledge and expertise essential for each genre. That does not mean that they need to memorize industry specific jargon; instead, they need to acquire the techniques that allow them to research and obtain the necessary information and therefore allow them to successfully complete the translation. Professional literacy aims at the acquisition of those technique.

    Cultural Competence

    Translation is not just about changing words into a different language. Translators need to be able to translate in the way that the targeted readers can understand what the writer of the original text is trying to say, which cannot be done without understanding the cultural background of the writer as well as the cultural background of the target audience. Cultural literacy aims to encourage translators to acquire the ability to comprehend the perspectives of both culture.

    IT Competence

    Since the use of Internet is already in commonplace within the translation business, computer literacy is crucial for professional translators today. It includes the ability to utilize not only basic computer programs, but also translation and desktop publishing software. Professional translators also need to acquire virtual team translation skills. Web creation skills will enable translators to market themselves in the translation industry.

    Managerial Competence

    If professional translators decide to establish their own translation firms, managerial skills will be required. A majority of projects in the translation business, even in publication, is done in teams rather than by an individual translator. Translation project managers are therefore required to have the ability to coordinate the work for efficient production. Also, the ability to market and present themselves as a professional is becoming more and more important for today’s professional translator.

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