The Norwegian National Register of Interpreters - Public service interpreting in Norway Leonardo Doria de Souza Norwegian Directorate of Integration and Diversity (IMDi) – TRAFUT, Antwerp

Norwegian authority for interpreting services in the public sector Availability of qualified interpreters recruitment High capacity in interpreter’s education language and students Awareness, knowledge and guidelines training local guidelines Regulation and development sectoral and national level Interpreter users training Vocational studies Workplaces Lectures Workplaces Sectoral level Surveys Health - Primary doctors (2006) Child care - Child welfare service (2007) Justice - Criminal proceedings chain (2008) Education - Oslo’s primary and secondary schools (2009) Social services - Labour and welfare services (2010)

Norwegian or universal challenges? Bilingualism = interpreting Lack of awareness regarding the role of interpreters Lack of procedures/guidelines for booking and use of interpreters Lack of recruitment criteria Lack of organisation and professionalism

The Norwegian National Register of Interpreters (2005)  Encourage interpreters to document and improve their skills and competences  Increase the availability of qualified interpreters  Provide an overview of interpreters’ skills  Increase interpreters’ assignments  Keep “good interpreters” in the profession “create a systematic nationwide overview of interpreters apt for practicing in the public services”

 Publicly financed and administrated by IMDi  Primary target groups are public servants and professionals in need of interpreters  recruitment tool  check interpreter’s qualification  requirement in tender for interpreting services  “call an interpreter”  Transparent, publicly accessible and free of charge through  There is no online booking function on the web site The Norwegian National Register of Interpreters

 Applicants must fill out and send an application form which is available through Applicants must fill out and send an application form which is available through  All accepted applications are classified into five categories according to their documented qualifications All accepted applications are classified into five categories according to their documented qualifications Recruitment  Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences  Interpreting agencies  University of Oslo  Contact networks  IMDis regional offices  IMDis partners (municipalities and public sector authorities)  The Norwegian National Register of Interpreters

categories: 1: Certified interpreters with a 30 ECTS university-level interpreter training 2: Certified interpreters 3: 30 ECTS university-level interpreter training (HiOA) 4: Certified translators with 3 day intensive course on interpreting ethics and techniques (TAO) 5: Interpreter candidates with bilingual vocabulary test with 3 day intensive course on interpreting ethics and techniques (TAO) 5: Interpreter candidates with bilingual vocabulary test with 3 day intensive course on interpreting ethics and techniques (TAO) Available information: Full name Contact address Gender Language(s) Interpreting hours (last 3 years) Interpreting techniques and modes Field of competencies Education Not available: Private address ID-number

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1243 registered interpreters 65 languages 58% high qualified The Norwegian National Register of Interpreters (2012) CategoryInterpretersLanguages Evaluation (2010)  59 percent of the interpreters, and 55 percent of interpreting users who have used the National Register, said they were pleased with the register  A majority of 64 percent of interpreting users report that they do not know the register  A majority of both interpreters and interpreting users would rather have a booking function available  More interaction with target groups  Better use of available technology

Public service interpreting in Norway National register University-level interpreting training National certification ToSPoT - bilingual vocabulary test TAO - 3 day intensive course Awareness, knowledge and guidelines

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National Certification of Interpreters University of Oslo, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences (2013) Exam (no training) 181 certified in 22 languages Selection criteria: higher education entrance qualifications, 20 years of age Aim: to secure/guarantee that the [interpreter] service is of good quality The written exam (elimination) General language and terminology Realia Cut off score: 75 % The oral exam: Dialogue Monologue Ethics Cut off score: 85 %

 Code of ethics  Presentation of the field of public service interpreting  What is an interpreter?  The institutional meeting  Interpreting a meeting  Language and terminology  Note-taking and memory basics  The National Register of Interpreters  Further qualification  Professionalism  Practical training day intensive course on interpreting ethics and techniques (TAO)