The Department of English Translation and Interpreting within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Üsküdar University has launched two new facilities: the Simultaneous Interpreting Laboratory and the Translation Technologies Laboratory. These laboratories, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, aim to provide students with hands-on training in line with the demands of the modern era. The simultaneous interpreting lab enables students to practice in a professional interpreting booth setting, while the translation technologies lab offers industry-oriented courses utilizing AI-supported computer-assisted translation tools.
During the opening ceremony, President of Üsküdar University, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, emphasized that artificial intelligence cannot replace human translators. The laboratories are expected to make significant contributions to students’ professional skill development and academic growth.
The opening ceremony was held at A Block of the South Campus of Üsküdar University. It was attended by President Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, Rector Prof. Nazife Güngör, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Prof. Deniz Ülke Arıboğan Kaynak, Vice Dean Asst. Prof. Nihan Kalkandeler Özdin, Head of the Department of English Translation and Interpreting Asst. Prof. Hümeyra Genç, faculty members Assoc. Prof. Feride Zeynep Güder, Asst. Prof. Nafi Yalçın, Asst. Prof. Melda Enginsu, Instructor Gözde Büklüm, Research Assistant Paşa Bayramoğlu, as well as other university administrators and department academics.
Established under the motto “The world does not turn unless we translate,” the new laboratories are expected to greatly enhance the students’ learning experience.
Simultaneous Interpreting Laboratory Opened...
Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: “AI cannot become a translator, but it can assist.”
In his address, President of Üsküdar University and Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan shared insightful remarks on artificial intelligence and its role in translation. He stated that AI cannot replace human translators: “Artificial intelligence is not conscious, whereas humans are. Therefore, I do not believe AI can fully perform the task of translation and interpreting. It is not a conscious entity; it can be guided, manipulated, and it makes errors. For that reason, the final decision must always lie with a human. This is also a current topic in psychotherapy: can AI be a therapist? There is debate. AI may assist in translation and make the job easier, but it cannot comprehend emotions. Emotions cannot be calculated or mathematically modeled, at least not yet, so AI cannot translate them. Consciousness is unique: for instance, under anesthesia, a person's consciousness is suspended, but when they wake up, it returns unchanged. A computer’s IP can change, but human consciousness does not. Even though all the physical elements in our body change over time, our consciousness remains the same. That is why consciousness is uniquely human.”
Prof. Nazife Güngör: “These labs will greatly contribute to training well-equipped individuals”
Üsküdar University Rector Prof. Nazife Güngör expressed her well-wishes during the ceremony. She highlighted that students trained in these new laboratories will gain valuable experience by taking part in translation duties during the university's international events. She emphasized that this hands-on training will provide a significant advantage in their development, contributing to both their theoretical and practical competence.
Prof. Deniz Ülke Kaynak: “The labs will make learning more effective”
Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Prof. Deniz Ülke Kaynak, underlined the importance of the new laboratories in improving the quality of education. She expressed her satisfaction with the development and thanked all those involved, wishing success to the students. She added that the laboratories will play a significant role in enhancing students’ professional growth.
Asst. Prof. Hümeyra Genç: “Our efforts will continue without slowing down”
Head of the Department of English Translation and Interpreting, Asst. Prof. Hümeyra Genç, expressed her delight at the innovations these labs bring to the department. She emphasized the department’s ongoing dedication to equipping students with the best possible training, noting that the entire team is working diligently to maintain this progress.
Instructor Gözde Büklüm: “Students gain hands-on experience”
Lab coordinator Instructor Gözde Büklüm discussed the technical infrastructure of the lab and its importance in education: “Our lab has 20 headsets and a capacity for 30 students. Most of our interpreting courses are held here. These new facilities are highly valuable because they allow students to gain real-world experience by simulating the interpreting booths used in professional settings. This prepares them for future scenarios and helps them become familiar with the equipment used in various interpreting environments. We conduct courses such as Introduction to Interpreting, Note-taking Techniques, Consecutive Interpreting, and Simultaneous Interpreting in this lab. In a fully soundproof environment, students listen to different speeches through a high-quality audio system and interpret between English and Turkish. We can also host up to 30 listeners in the lab, and we have two interpreting booths where four students can work in rotation. In interpreting practice, interpreters typically switch every 20 minutes, and our students apply this by working in pairs inside the booths. The booths were built according to international standards and are equipped with headsets, microphones, and audio systems. We wish all our students success and are proud to offer them a technologically advanced, fully equipped training environment.”
Asst. Prof. Nafi Yalçın: "Our dream has come true"
Asst. Prof. Nafi Yalçın expressed that the opening of the lab marks the realization of a long-held goal. Yalçın stated: “One of our initial goals when establishing the department was to set up this laboratory. We especially wanted our senior students to receive training in this lab before graduation. Together with our department faculty, we prepared a project. As part of the project, we administered a pre-test to our students at the beginning of the semester, and we plan to conduct a post-test at the end of the term. This way, we aim to measure the impact of the lab training on students' translation experience. After analyzing the data, we intend to publish our findings as a research article that can be indexed in Scopus.”
The second opening was held for the Translation Technologies Laboratory
Research Assistant Paşa Bayramoğlu: “We offer hands-on and contemporary training”
Research Assistant Paşa Bayramoğlu, who is responsible for the laboratory, provided insights into the second lab’s features. Bayramoğlu said: “In the Written Translation Technologies Laboratory, we focus on AI-based translation during the spring semester. These contents are then integrated into specialized translation courses such as legal and medical translation. In the fall semester, we focus more on introductory compulsory courses. In this context, we provide basic translation technology training primarily to second- and third-year students. Our lab has a capacity of 35 students and offers hands-on training. We actively use the most up-to-date AI tools of our time. In addition, we work with both desktop and web-based versions of the most commonly used computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools in the industry. This ensures that we are training our students in line with the current dynamics of the profession. In short, the education we provide combines translation technologies and AI in a modern, practical format. This semester, we placed particular emphasis on AI-based education. Our curriculum includes not only the latest translation trends but also the integration of technologies in specialized fields like medical and legal translation. In the fall, we offer foundational courses that prepare students for the professional world.”
Features of the Simultaneous Interpreting Laboratory
- Equipped with 20 headsets.
- Has a capacity of 30 students.
- Accommodates up to 30 student observers simultaneously.
- Includes 2 interpreting booths.
- Each booth allows 4 students to take turns (in pairs).
- Booth activities follow professional interpreting practice: shifts every 20 minutes.
- Offers a fully soundproof environment with external noise isolation.
- Equipped with a high-quality sound system.
- Students interpret between English and Turkish by listening to speeches.
- Courses such as Introduction to Interpreting, Note-taking Techniques, Consecutive Interpreting, and Simultaneous Interpreting are conducted here.
- Booths are built in accordance with international interpreting standards.
- Each booth includes headsets, microphones, and professional audio systems.
Features of the Translation Technologies Laboratory
- Has a capacity of 35 students.
- Provides students with direct access to translation tools through hands-on courses.
- Actively utilizes AI-supported translation tools.
- Offers AI translation courses during the spring semester.
- Specialized translations in fields like medicine and law are integrated with translation technologies.
- Basic translation technology courses are provided to second- and third-year students during the fall semester.
- Uses both web-based and computer-assisted translation tools.
- The curriculum is current and practical, combining translation technologies with artificial intelligence.
- Courses aim to equip students with technological skills aligned with the latest translation trends and industry demands.
Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)