Gallaudet is a silent partner within the JUSTISIGNS consortium. Gallaudet University, the world's only university with programs and services specifically designed to accommodate deaf and hard of hearing students, was established in 1864. Deaf and hard of hearing undergraduate students can choose from a wide variety of majors leading to a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree. The University also admits a small number of hearing, degree-seeking undergraduate students—up to five percent of an entering class. Undergraduate students have the option of designing their own majors, called “self-directed majors,” in which they select classes from a variety of departments at Gallaudet.
The Interpretation and Translation Research Center (ITRC) which will be contributing to the JUSTISIGNS project embraces both theoretical and empirical interdisciplinary research. The Centre’s team have an extensive wealth of experience in legal interpreting and have a fostered links amongst contributing scholars from many countries who provide expert guidance and knowledge within the consortium.
KU Leuven (Faculty of Arts, Campus Antwerp) has been running degree programmes in Translating and Interpreting since 1964. It is an active member of International Permanent Conference of University Institutes of Translators and Interpreters (CIUTI). At present, the Department is part of the Integrated Arts Faculty of the University of Leuven. As such it provides a BA in Applied Language Studies and four MA programmes: Masters in Translation, Masters in Interpreting, Masters in Journalism and Masters in Multilingual Business Communication. The MA in Translation provides a thorough academic grounding in translation studies and in-depth practice in translation work, using advanced technological support and applications.
EFSLI is an European membership led organisation of sign language interpreters consisting of national and regional associations, individual and associate members.
Efsli’s aims and objectives are to encourage and promote deliberation and mutual exchange of the profession of interpreting services within Europe. With members in over 30 European countries, efsli has a wide European network covering all the stakeholders in the sign language interpreter profession in Europe. Efsli has extensive experience in disseminating and exchanging information in Europe with interpreters and related organisations, such as national deaf organisations and educational programs for interpreters.
The Centre for Deaf Studies (CDS) at Trinity College Dublin is the contractor for JUSTISIGNS. The Centre for Deaf Studies is the only place in Ireland offering a route to a Bachelor in Deaf Studies, with specialisms in ISL teaching, ISL/English interpreting and Deaf Studies.
Graduates from this Level 8 programme can subsequently access Level 9 and 10 programmes in a range of cognate areas. CDS’ has a wider brief in lifelong learning with a remit to increase the number of professionally trained and accredited ISL/English interpreters available in Ireland, to facilitate greater participation in Irish society by Deaf people; to promote high level ISL teaching practices, and to offer general training in Deaf Studies. The Centre also has a mandate to conduct research across the field of Deaf Studies. Funded research to date includes a review of Deaf education (National Council of Special Education), a review of interpreter provision in the mid-west region (Paul Partnership), Irish government funding (SIF II), SIGNALL II, SIGNALL 3 and MEDISIGNS, D-SIGNS and the Hidden Histories project.
The University of Applied Sciences for Special Needs Education offers two unique programs in Switzerland (HfH), first in sign language interpreting (BA) and a training course for sign language instructors for more then over 25 years. The research history of these programs has long records in sign language linguistics and intercultural issues/Deaf culture, sign language assessment and other related issues. The makeup of staff consists of trained sign language interpreters who are experienced in interpreting in legal settings for Deaf clients. Interpreter training at the University is offered with any four-year programme which is part time which also includes 300 hours of practical training.
The Centre for Translation & Interpreting Studies in Scotland (CTISS) combines the examination of translation, interpretations and communicative performances across spoken, signed, written and multimodal media. The Centre is part of The School of Management & Languages (SML). Historically, the Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies’ (LINCS) primary research focus has been in the field of Translation & Interpreting studies: it was with the express purpose of promoting such a focus that the Department was founded over 40 years ago. Staff are expert participants in court and police activities in Scotland, including the Institute for Policing Research and European Legal Interpreters and Translators Association. Academic staff is increasingly specialising in sign language studies and are currently running a pilot project on public policy designed to facilitate bilingual (BSL and English) transmission about BSL to Government and public authorities, the professions and the community (EdSign). The project is funded by the Scottish Funding Council. These activities have involved association with international partners in the UK, Finland, Greece, and Sweden, as well as the opportunity to work alongside the following Scottish organisations: Scottish Government’s Equality Unit, Scottish Council on Deafness, Sign Linguistics Corpora Network, Scottish Deaf Association, Scottish Association of Sign Language Interpreters.
EULITA, the European Legal Interpreters and Translators Association, was founded in Antwerp, Belgium, on 26 November 2009. This international not-for-profit association (aisbl) was established under the Criminal Justice Programme of the Directorate-General Justice, Freedom, Security of the European Commission (project number JLS/2007/JPEN/249).
EULITA aims to bring together in its membership as full members the professional associations and legal translators and spoken and sign-language legal interpreters in the EU member states as well as the general associations that include legal translators and spoken or sign-language legal interpreters among their membership. As associate members EULITA welcomes all interested organisations, institutions and individuals that are committed to the improvement of quality in legal interpreting and translation.
