Translating Ukraine Summer Institute

Following in the footsteps of the successful inaugural Translating Ukraine Summer Institute 2024—and recognizing the continuing precarity of living conditions and lack of professional development opportunities faced by Ukrainian translators during the third year of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war,—the University of Alberta’s Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS), DUSS UAlberta—Disrupted Ukrainian Scholars and Students Initiative, the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University, the Harriman Institute of Columbia University, the Yale Ukrainian Program at Yale University, the Ukrainian Studies Program at Cambridge University, Kolegium Europy Wschodniej, the National Ossolinski Institute, New Eastern Europe, and NGO Translatorium are launching the second international Translating Ukraine Summer Institute that will be held in Wroclaw, Poland, on 7-18 July 2025 (dates may be subject to change due to availability of funding). The organizers are inviting all eligible candidates to apply for this training and professional development opportunity.

Program:
Supported by academic partners in Canada, US, UK, and Poland, this summer institute will focus on training emerging and mid-career translators in the field of literary and academic translation. In a course of intensive twelve-day training, invited summer institute faculty and experienced professionals will lead workshops and professional development sessions, aimed at building key skills in Ukrainian-English translation and developing a global network of translators who would work on joint projects in the future. The three offered training modules will center on translation of literary prose, poetry, and nonfiction academic texts, ensuring training in a wide array of themes and genres that the participants may choose to work with in the future. The program will also offer space for working on and presenting the participants’ individual projects and for fostering mentoring relationships.

Eligibility:

20 participants will be selected on the basis of competitive applications submitted in two stages.

• Stage 1 applications will require a CV focusing on publications and translations, a statement of interest (max. 2 pages), and the names of two referees (professors, publishers, editors, and colleagues who know your work; names and email addresses only). Submission deadline: 1 March 2025.
• Successful Stage 1 applicants will be invited to proceed to Stage 2 where they will submit samples of their translations (published, completed, or in-progress—max. 15 pages) along with respective source texts (also max. 15 pages). Submission deadline: 25 March 2025.

Eligible candidates shall include:
a) practitioners with experience in the field of Ukrainian to English translation, be it beginners or mid-career professionals;
b) students enrolled in Ukrainian language courses and translation programs at universities and participating institutions.

Conditions:
There are no mandatory fees associated with participation in the Translating Ukraine Summer Institute; however, the candidates selected at Stage 2 may choose to either fund their own participation costs or apply for TUSI funding.

For all selected participants applying for TUSI funding, the organizers shall cover the costs of travel, accommodation, and per diems (limits for such expenses will be communicated separately to all successful candidates).

Location: Wroclaw, Poland (Ossolinski National Institute)
Dates: 7-18 July 2025 (tentative)

To apply:
Please fill out the Stage 1 Application Form attaching your CV, statement of interest (max. 2 pages) and indicating the names and email addresses of two referees. Please note that only successful Stage 1 applicants will be invited to proceed to the Stage 2 applications where they will be required to submit their translation samples. Stage 1 Applications shall be accepted until 1 March 2025.
We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only individuals selected for participation in the second stage of the application process will be considered. Once the applications are adjudicated, we will inform all applicants about their application outcome. Applicants who were not selected for participation in the current year are invited to apply again next year.

For more information, please see the program's new website.