MSLU Strengthens Collaboration in Training Translators for International Organizations

On December 8, Irina Shokina, head of MSLU's Program for Training Translators for International Organizations, participated in the 13th annual seminar for Russian and Belarusian universities cooperating with the UN under a Memorandum of Understanding. The seminar focused on "Multilingualism in the UN and Ensuring High-Quality Russian Translation."

The event, held in a hybrid format, featured leaders of Russian translation services from UN offices in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, FAO’s Moscow office head Oleg Kobyakov, and representatives of the Russian Translation Company. Vladimir Kuznetsov, Director of the UN Information Center in Moscow, opened the seminar, highlighting the importance of multilingualism as a core UN principle, essential for preserving cultural diversity, fostering dialogue, and enhancing education systems.

Sergei Gritsai, Director of the Linguistic Support Department at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, shared insights on the training of translators for both international organizations and the Ministry, emphasizing the growing role of artificial intelligence in translation.

The seminar’s informal dialogue format encouraged productive discussions on key topics, including staffing challenges in UN Russian translation services, the impact of machine translation and AI, and the resumption of student internships in UN offices.

Irina Shokina highlighted the achievements of MSLU graduates in UN language exams and the university’s collaboration with Russian linguistic services in UN offices, FAO, and WIPO. She also spoke about recent in-person internships for program participants in Vienna, Geneva, and Nairobi. These internships, along with regular masterclasses from UN and MFA Russian translators, provide valuable experience for students.

Marina Slobodyanik, an MSLU program graduate and FAO staff translator, expressed gratitude to the program’s faculty during the seminar.

The event strengthened collaboration among Russian universities within the Memorandum of Understanding network, furthering their shared goal of preparing skilled translators for international organizations.