The Universidad de La Laguna founded the Masters in Conference Interpreting (MIC) in 1988. It was the first postgraduate qualification of its kind dedicated to training conference interpreters, both in consecutive and simultaneous techniques. Today, almost 30 years later, our masters programme continues to deliver excellence in training to those wishing to become professional conference interpreters and focuses on preparing students for life as a conference interpreter in both international institutions and the private market.

How do we guarantee excellence?

We are a full member of the EMCI consortium and our curriculum is designed to fully comply with strict EMCI Quality Assurance Standards.

We receive pedagogical support from the European Commission (Directorate General for Interpretation – SCIC), and more recently the European Parliament. Thanks to this assistance, received both in the form of virtual and taught classes over the course of the academic year, our students are able to receive direct feedback from experience professionals who work for the European institutions. In addition to the European institutions, we also collaborate with other universities, visiting interpreters and other international organizations.

We have newly refurbished facilities that include state-of-the-art equipment for both consecutive and simultaneous interpreting classes and video conferencing, enabling us to participate in distance learning projects with the European Commission, the European Parliament, and other partners and collaborators.

We are mindful that continued teaching excellence is the key to successful professional training and personal development and strive to build on the quality assurances that we have been able to offer over the last 30 years. Our teaching staff includes native speakers who prepare and deliver speeches that are adapted to the learning requirements of each stage of the course. It also includes professional interpreters who correct students and provide feedback. We also have two Key Trainers assigned to us from the European Commission (Directorate General for Interpretation – SCIC). And, we also receive additional pedagogic assistance from accredited trainers from the European institutions, the UN, and the private sector.

We collaborate with professionals belonging to the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC), which lists the MIC in La Laguna in its Interpreting Schools & Programmes Directory. Several of our teachers are also AIIC members.

The course is designed to optimize class time, thus ensuring all students are able to practise and receive feedback in each session.

Class sizes are limited to a max. 10 students per class. This ensures personalised attention and the accurate tracking of each individual’s learning curve.

Our exams are assessed by an examining board of external conference interpreters of recognised professional prestige. This not only ensures objectivity, but also the international recognition of our adherence to EMCI Quality Control Assurances.

Many of our graduates, as a result of our teaching excellence, now work as conference interpreters in the European Commission, the European Parliament and the United Nations, which are famed for their strict entry requirements. In fact, our Masters continues to provide the European institutions with more interpreters than any other.

This postgraduate qualification is open to those individuals capable of demonstrating excellent language skills in Spanish, English and at least one other language and who possess a university degree. If you are passionate about interpreting, have excellent communication skills, and are able to stay calm under pressure we would love to hear from you.

– Academic Director, Carmen Toledano –