ASU Master’s Students Get a First-Hand Experience of MFA Interpretation

The Caspian Higher School of Interpreting and Translation held a 3-day intensive training course delivered by Andrey Zavarukhin, Attach? of the Linguistic Support Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Being at our university for the first time, the guest intends to develop further cooperation. He met with Konstantin Markelov, the ASU Acting Rector, and discussed urgent issues of common interest. The main point in his agenda was a master class for interpreters-to-be.

“As an MFA representative, I believe that students must be aware of specificity of our work. In the Caspian Higher School of Interpreting and Translation, everyone studies interpretation, by it is also important to know its peculiarities, especially when it comes to the highest levels — ministerial or even presidential. The aim of my visit to ASU is to share our experience and knowledge with your students and assess their potential in the context of possible cooperation with government agencies”,  Andrey Zavarukhin says.

The expert told the audience about niceties of work at the MFA Linguistic Support Department, shared his practical experience of note taking, using a notebook correctly, making compression in interpreting, etc. The guest stressed the main points an interpreter should primarily pay attention to, and noted the importance of correct rendering of proper names.

The course programme included a practical part as well. Guided by Andrey Zavarukhin, the students worked with video recordings of high-level official statements, including ones of the RF President, and practised consecutive and simultaneous interpretation.

Besides, the MFA representative spoke about employment prospects, MFA exams both for interpreters and representatives of other specializations. The MA students of Caspian Higher School of Interpreting and Translation also have the opportunity to take the MFA traineeship, gain an invaluable experience and approve themselves.