ETHICS, PROFESSIONAL DEONTOLOGY AND TEAM WORKING

The course Ethics, Professional Deontology and Team Working is a core course in Translation and Interpreting, aimed at students of the English-Spanish, English-Italian Sign Language (LIS), and Spanish-Italian Sign Language (LIS) curricula, with a focus on professional ethics and teamwork. The course aims to equip students with the necessary methodological and practical tools to prepare them for the ethical and collaborative aspects of the professions of translation, interpretation, and language and cultural mediation. It examines various codes of ethics developed and adopted by national and international professional associations representing translators, mediators, and interpreters. However, the course also aims to go beyond these codes and encourage critical thinking about the ethical choices and dilemmas that translators and interpreters often face in daily routines. In addition, the course aims to promote best practice and collaborative skills, providing tools for managing complex projects. The workshop approach and the implementation of group project work aim to strengthen the teamwork skills of individual students, who will also learn how best to deal with conflict issues.

By the end of the course, students will have acquired the critical thinking skills necessary to make informed ethical decisions throughout their professional careers. They will be able not only to comply with the professional codes of ethics provided by employers or industry associations, but also to evaluate and choose among them critically, maintaining a strong awareness of the principles of accountability and individual responsibility. This competence is crucial for translators and interpreters to effectively handle the unforeseen and complex scenarios that inevitably arise in practice, which even the most advanced code of ethics cannot anticipate.
Furthermore, through group work and professional simulations, students will gain hands-on experience in collaborative translation practices. They will develop a comprehensive understanding of the responsibilities inherent in project management and acquire effective conflict-resolution techniques. Ultimately, this course enables students to navigate future working environments with greater confidence, reinforcing the broader principle that personal and professional accountability is a core societal value.

Students are expected to possess English language skills at the C1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), with a particular emphasis on written and oral communication. Additionally, an excellent command of the Italian language (minimum B2 level for international students) is required for both spoken and written communication. Any initial discrepancies in language proficiency among participants will be addressed constructively throughout the course and dealt with as necessary.

The course covers fundamental concepts of ethics and morality, with an emphasis on the ethical implications of language choices in relation to specific cultural contexts. It examines different interpretations of terms such as professionalism, code of ethics, law, accountability. The course compares different models of codes of practice and explores the differences between deontological and teleological approaches. In addition, the course will consider the concepts of flexibility, integrity, honesty, independence and pride in one's work. It will also explore the ideas of accountability for decisions and individual responsibility. Copyright and translation rights are also covered. Teamwork and collaboration skills will be demonstrated through practical exercises as skills that promote a positive working culture and environment, enabling teams to achieve goals through effective collaboration and motivation. Students will have the opportunity to test these skills through the practical experience of team project work.

Required Readings:
Lecture slides, academic papers, and selected book chapters provided by the professor to support the project work will be made available to all participants on the course platform during the semester.

Recommended Readings:

Baker, Mona (2018) In Other Words. London and New York: Routledge, Chapter 9 p. 307-331.
Koskinen, K. and N. K. Pokorn (eds.) (2021) The Routledge Handbook of Translation and Ethics. London and New York: Routledge.

The final exam will consist of two parts, a project work and an oral test, assessing students’ competence on course topics.
As for the written part, students will be required to complete a group project work within two weeks time and upload it to the course Moodle page following shared guidelines and instructions for all participants. An individual project will be available for those students who prefer this option.
The oral test will assess, through individual interviews, students' understanding of the course material and contents and their ability to use the metalanguage to discuss their project work. To successfully pass the exam, it is strongly recommended that students have a C1 level of English according to the QCER. The final exam result will be calculated based on the marks of the written project and the oral test. Any differences in language level will be dealt with as necessary.

written and oral

The instructor is responsible for ensuring the authenticity and originality of all examinations and coursework. In cases of suspected academic misconduct, an additional on-site assessment may be required during the exams, which may differ from the standard format.

The grade for the group project work and the grade for the oral interview will be awarded up to a maximum of 30 points. More specifically, the translation activities of the project work will be awarded up to a maximum of 10 points, the argumentation skills discussed in the project work report will be awarded up to a maximum of 10 points, and the collaboration and problem-solving skills emerging from the project report will be awarded up to a maximum of 10 points. The oral interview will also be marked out of thirty according to the following criteria: mastery of the theoretical concepts covered during the course (out of a maximum of 15 points), ability to argue and rework theoretical content (out of a maximum of 10 points), fluency in English and appropriate use of metalanguage and specialist terminology (out of a maximum of 5 points). The grades for the written project and the oral interview will be combined to give the final mark, using a mathematical average.

Lectures, practical exercises, workshop activities, group work, project work, self-assessment activities.

Lectures will be held in English. Most translation examples will deal with the English-Italian language combination.

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Climate change and energy" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development