Uploaded September 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Find out more at https://gupress.gallaudet.edu/internationalperspectives
"Sign Language Interpreter Education in Finland" | Chapter summary in Finnish Sign Language
Chapter authors: Juha Manunen and Liisa Halkosaari
From “International Perspectives on Sign Language Translator and Interpreter Education”
Edited by Jemina Napier, Stacey Webb, and Robert Adam
Published by Gallaudet University Press
**This video may not be repurposed or incorporated into other works in any way without the express written consent of the signer and the chapter authors.**
Visual description: A bald white man with glasses signing in Finnish Sign Language. The background is a white wall, his shirt is black.
His way of signing is calm and facial expressions are mild.
Transcript:
In this article, we describe sign language interpreter (SLI) education in Finland.
The authors are Juha Manunen and Liisa Halkosaari. Juha is deaf, Liisa is hearing, and both work as interpreter trainers at Humak University of Applied Sciences (UAS).
There are fewer than 3000 deaf people and around 800 interpreters in Finland. According to law, deaf people and people with communication disabilities have the right to a minimum of 180 hours a year of interpreting services; for deafblind people it’s 360 hours. SLI has been financed by the state or municipalities since 1979.
Today, the Social Insurance Institution, Kela, is responsible for providing most interpreting services; they arrange bidding and buy the service. Before, interpreting was more freelance-based; now everyone works in companies or has their own company.
Within spoken languages, interpreter training programs vary from vocational to higher education, but to become an SLI, you need to receive a four-year bachelor’s degree at UAS, either Humak or Diak, both situated in Helsinki. Besides SLI, you can study to interpret for people with speech disabilities. Humak also educates deaf interpreters, together with hearing students. Most deaf interpreters also work as translators.
There are two possibilities to continue to a master’s degree, one in Finland and one international option, EUMASLI. There are not yet people with doctoral degrees in SLI as there is no straight route for that.
The profession is changing — the number of deaf people using SLI is getting smaller. But deaf people also study more and at higher levels than previously, so interpreters need specialized skills. Sign language translation is a growing field because of accessibility guidelines. Distance interpreting is growing.
Find out more at https://gupress.gallaudet.edu/internationalperspectives
"Sign Language Interpreter Education in Finland" | Chapter summary in Finnish Sign Language
Chapter authors: Juha Manunen and Liisa Halkosaari
From “International Perspectives on Sign Language Translator and Interpreter Education”
Edited by Jemina Napier, Stacey Webb, and Robert Adam
Published by Gallaudet University Press
**This video may not be repurposed or incorporated into other works in any way without the express written consent of the signer and the chapter authors.**
Visual description: A bald white man with glasses signing in Finnish Sign Language. The background is a white wall, his shirt is black.
His way of signing is calm and facial expressions are mild.
Transcript:
In this article, we describe sign language interpreter (SLI) education in Finland.
The authors are Juha Manunen and Liisa Halkosaari. Juha is deaf, Liisa is hearing, and both work as interpreter trainers at Humak University of Applied Sciences (UAS).
There are fewer than 3000 deaf people and around 800 interpreters in Finland. According to law, deaf people and people with communication disabilities have the right to a minimum of 180 hours a year of interpreting services; for deafblind people it’s 360 hours. SLI has been financed by the state or municipalities since 1979.
Today, the Social Insurance Institution, Kela, is responsible for providing most interpreting services; they arrange bidding and buy the service. Before, interpreting was more freelance-based; now everyone works in companies or has their own company.
Within spoken languages, interpreter training programs vary from vocational to higher education, but to become an SLI, you need to receive a four-year bachelor’s degree at UAS, either Humak or Diak, both situated in Helsinki. Besides SLI, you can study to interpret for people with speech disabilities. Humak also educates deaf interpreters, together with hearing students. Most deaf interpreters also work as translators.
There are two possibilities to continue to a master’s degree, one in Finland and one international option, EUMASLI. There are not yet people with doctoral degrees in SLI as there is no straight route for that.
The profession is changing — the number of deaf people using SLI is getting smaller. But deaf people also study more and at higher levels than previously, so interpreters need specialized skills. Sign language translation is a growing field because of accessibility guidelines. Distance interpreting is growing.
