To communicate and provide information in English is an important part of recruiting and retaining international students and staff, and to collaborate internationally. There is also a need to support international staff with translations into Swedish. The translation initiative is part of the Vice-Chancellor's strategic funding from which SEK 2 million has been allocated over four years, 2022–2025. The Communications Office has been tasked with leading the translation initiative.
Read more about the translation initiative
The Vice-Chancellor has allocated SEK 2 million over four years (2022–2025) for a translation initiative aimed to support education and research. The funding is spent on purchasing translation services from external suppliers and the employment of an inhouse translator. Internal working hours and other work does not affect the budget.
The objectives of the translation initiative are
- to make an inventory and mapping the shortcomings in regards to what information can be accessed in English. The inventory is completed based on the target groups prospective students, students, prospective staff, staff and other stakeholders to identify and prioritise which areas are most important to increase opportunities for international relations.
- to plan for and implement the needs found in the inventory, partly through inhouse resources, partly through external resources.
- to produce and follow an international content plan. To establish routines and working methods for how new production of content can be selected and be made accessible in English.
During the first six months of the translation initiative in 2022, focus lay on translating prioritised university-wide policy documents into English and produce routines and support material for the purchase of translation services from external suppliers. Focus groups with representatives of the faculties were conducted to gather input regarding the needs of staff to obtain English information and needs for translation. In the autumn semester 2022, focus lay on procuring a framework agreement for translation and proofreading services for Umeå University, which was completed in March 2023.
A part-time translator was also employed for the project for December 2022 until August 2023. Umeå University already had one full-time translator employed who also leads the project.
In 2023, translation needs aimed at managers and staff on the staff website will be prioritised and contact with student unions initiated. Throughout the project period, all translation needs that arise are purchased, completed and published to the extent possible.
How to ge support from the initiative
If you have content you need to have translated from Swedish into English or English into Swedish, you can get help from the translation initiative to fund the purchase of external translation services. The offer lasts as long as funds are available and to the extent there is time.
You can receive support for the translation of: web content, policy documents, templates, forms, agreements, course and programme syllabi, other administrative documentation and news items. Other text types not listed also apply.
You cannot receive support for the translation of: academic articles, doctoral theses and other scientific content; or individual researchers' or teachers' presentations or teaching material.
Send an email to the project manager of the initiative to ask for help. Remember to contact the project manager again if further needs arise in the future.
Seek support for translation through Anna Lawrence, Communications Office.
Suggest content for translation
When you notice that someone else's content should be translated, please let us know by submitting a form. Content must be from Umeå University but can concern translations between Swedish and English in both directions.
The form is checked approximately once per month. Incoming tips are prioritised together with the offices in charge of the content.
Submit your translation suggestions through the form
If you are asked to log in, enter your Umu-id followed by @ad.umu.se. You will be redirected to the University login where you enter your password.
Framework agreement for translation and proofreading
Umeå University has its own framework agreement for translation and proofreading which the entire University can use. The framework agreement was completed in March 2023 and covers translation from Swedish into English and proofreading of English texts. There is also a national framework agreement in place for those services that are not included in the University's.
To gather the necessary background information to conduct the procurement, a reference group with representation from all faculties was initiated. For the assessment of translation and proofreading tests, staff members from the four faculties were recruited together with representatives from the University Management, all with their specialist competence in the subfields. An external expert was also enlisted with linguistic expertise. The work was coordinated by the Communications Office together with the Procurement and Purchase Office.
Read more about purchasing translation and proofreading services
For more information, please contact:
Anna Lawrence, leading the translation initiative and translator at the Communication Office.