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The Norwegian National Register of Interpreters

- Public service interpreting in Norway

Leonardo Doria de Souza

Norwegian Directorate of Integration and Diversity (IMDi)

20.10.2012 – TRAFUT, Antwerp

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Norwegian authority for interpreting services in the public sector

Availability of qualified interpreters• recruitment

High capacity in interpreter’s education• language and students

Awareness, knowledge and guidelines• training• local guidelines

Regulation and development• sectoral and national level

•Interpreter users training

• Vocational studies

• Workplaces

•Lectures

• Workplaces

• Sectoral level

•Surveys• Health - Primary doctors (2006)

• Child care - Child welfare service (2007)

• Justice - Criminal proceedings chain (2008)

• Education - Oslo’s primary and secondary schools (2009)

• Social services - Labour and welfare services (2010)

Norwegian or universal challenges?

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The Norwegian National Register of Interpreters (2005)

Encourage interpreters to document and improve their skills and competences

Increase the availability of qualified interpreters Provide an overview of interpreters’ skills Increase interpreters’ assignments Keep “good interpreters” in the profession

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“create a systematic nationwide overview of interpreters apt for practicing in the public services”

Publicly financed and administrated by IMDi

Primary target groups are public servants and professionals in

need of interpreters

recruitment tool

check interpreter’s qualification

requirement in tender for interpreting services

“call an interpreter”

Transparent, publicly accessible and free of charge through

www.tolkeportalen.no

There is no online booking function on the web site11.04.23 •

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The Norwegian National Register of Interpreters

Applicants must fill out and send an application form which is available through www.tolkeportalen.no

All accepted applications are classified into five categories according to their documented qualifications

Recruitment

Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences Interpreting agencies University of Oslo Contact networks IMDis regional offices IMDis partners (municipalities and public sector authorities) www.tolkeportalen.no

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The Norwegian National Register of Interpreters

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5 categories:

• 1: Certified interpreters with a 30 ECTS university-level interpreter training

• 2: Certified interpreters

• 3: 30 ECTS university-level interpreter training (HiOA)

• 4: Certified translators with 3 day intensive course on interpreting ethics and techniques (TAO)

• 5: Interpreter candidates with bilingual vocabulary test with 3 day intensive course on interpreting ethics and techniques (TAO)

Available information:Full nameContact addressGenderLanguage(s)Interpreting hours (last 3 years)Interpreting techniques and modesField of competenciesEducation

Not available:Private addressID-number

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1243 registered interpreters65 languages58% high qualified

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The Norwegian National Register of Interpreters (2012) Category Interpreters Languages

1 134 23

2 35 18

3 558 53

4 33 12

5 483 58Evaluation (2010)

59 percent of the interpreters, and 55 percent of interpreting users who have used the National Register, said they were pleased with the register

A majority of 64 percent of interpreting users report that they do not know the register A majority of both interpreters and interpreting users would rather have a booking function

available More interaction with target groups Better use of available technology

Public service interpreting in Norway

National register

University-level interpreting trainingNational certification

ToSPoT - bilingual vocabulary test

TAO- 3 day intensive course

Awareness, knowledge and guidelines

www.tolkeportalen.no

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Thank you very much!

lds@imdi.no

http://www.tolkeportalen.no

National Certification of Interpreters

• University of Oslo, 1997 - Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences (2013)

• Exam (no training)• 181 certified in 22 languages

• Selection criteria: higher education entrance qualifications, 20 years of age• Aim: to secure/guarantee that the [interpreter] service is of good quality

• The written exam (elimination)• General language and terminology• Realia• Cut off score: 75 %

• The oral exam: • Dialogue• Monologue• Ethics• Cut off score: 85 %

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Code of ethics Presentation of the field of public service interpreting What is an interpreter? The institutional meeting Interpreting a meeting Language and terminology Note-taking and memory basics The National Register of Interpreters Further qualification Professionalism Practical training

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3 day intensive course on interpreting ethics and techniques (TAO)