Department of Translation and Interpreting: An Overview

The Department of Translation and Interpreting at Hangzhou Normal University was founded in 2016, the year when the University’s undergraduate program in Translation and Interpreting was approved by the Ministry of Education.

Currently, the Department faculty comprises 3 full professors, 6 associate professors and 6 lecturers. They all boast rich experience in language teaching and translating & interpreting practice. And some of them are nationally renowned translation scholars. Over the past years, the Department faculty members have published numerous articles in both Chinese and international journals and a number of monographs and translated books. Meanwhile, the Department employs on a yearly basis some 10 veteran professional translators and interpreters as part-time tutors.

Since its inception, the Department has committed itself to nurture professional translators and interpreters who can meet the needs of the job market and the society at large. We have tried to bring this about by implementing the mode of close collaboration between the industry, the university and the research institute. In recent years, the Department staff members have made several successful attempts in this regard. Among other things, they have accomplished the research project “A Study on the Establishment of International Communication Bases and the Status Quo and Development of English Websites in Hangzhou” sponsored by the International Communication Office of Hangzhou Municipal Government. In collaboration with the Foreign Affairs of Hangzhou Municipal Government, the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, and the trade companies and translation agencies concerned, the Department has established a number of student internship bases. It is also the multilingual translation service provider for the official website of Zhejiang Provincial Government.

The Department still has a long way to go before it becomes a full-fledged incubator of translation professionals. It is our conviction that through the concerted efforts of our teachers and students we can open up a bright future.