Benefits and Challenges of an Intra-university Authentic Collaborative Translation Project

Abstract

Collaborative translation projects are gaining in popularity at translator training institutions. This is due to the fact that simulated, near-authentic and authentic tasks provide context and bridge the gap between academia and the real world. The use of collaborative translation projects is based on the principle that learning is a social experience and knowledge is constructed through social interaction (Kiraly 2015). So far, however, there has been little published research on the implementation of authentic translation projects conducted in collaboration with intra-university partners. This paper presents an authentic collaborative translation project carried out in spring 2019 at the Jacob of Paradies University in Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland. During the last semester of a three-semester Translation Project course, 12 undergraduate students worked for two simulated translation bureaus, completing 12 translation assignments commissioned by the university’s Promotion and Information Department staff, who acted as the external client. Based on the teacher’s observations, personal communication with the client, the analysis of the translation product quality and the students’ reflections, it can be concluded that the participation in the project benefitted all the parties involved, supporting the view that authentic translation projects can be successfully implemented in a university setting.