Multilingualism at the UN, T&I Training, and the Challenges of AI: Expert Dialogue and the Experience of the Higher School of Translation at Lomonosov Moscow State University

Abstract

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence technologies, together with the ongoing revision of operational requirements and working regulations within the UN system, calls for a fundamental rethinking of established didactic approaches in translation and interpreting (T&I) education. This article focuses on the conceptual gaps between traditional T&I training and emerging professional realities, as identified during expert discussions held at the UN Information Centre in Moscow. A key gap concerns the ambivalent role of machine translation in the educational process. On the one hand, the growing presence of machine translation in the industry necessitates the development of post-editing competences. On the other hand, an overreliance on neural networks risks eroding fundamental language skills, without which the stylistic precision and accuracy expected of a UN linguist remain unattainable. Concrete experimental data indicate that when processing large, multi-genre texts, editing machine output requires time and effort comparable to producing a full human translation. These findings suggest that the early and extensive introduction of neural network tools in T&I training may not be pedagogically optimal. A further didactic challenge raised at the seminar is the demand for a “polyvalent” (multiskilled) specialist proficient in both translation and interpreting — including theme, version, and retour — within a genuinely multilingual environment. In contrast to the globally dominant model of separate programmes (e.g. Master of Arts in Translation vs Master of Arts in Conference Interpreting), HSTI at Lomonosov Moscow University has been developing an integrative didactic system in which well-developed translation skills serve as the foundation for building interpreting competence. Another problematic aspect raised during the discussions and highlighted in this article is the weakening of pre-university language training, which complicates the task of producing highly qualified T&I personnel.