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Establishment and Philosophy
The Department of Foreign Language and Translation Studies (FLATS) of Abia State University, formerly known as the Language Centre (LC), is an institute of language studies and services. Created in 1981, FLATS has as primary objective the training of professionals in the areas of Translation, Terminology Research, Conference Interpreting and Bilingual Secretaryship, as well as Foreign Language graduates with a thorough grasp of both spoken and written aspects of the languages studied. FLATS also runs basic courses in French and other foreign languages open to interested candidates outside the Department.
The French Government has helped immensely in providing the Department with such facilities as books, computers, audiovisual equipment (television, video-cassettes, record-CD players, radio sets, film/slide projectors, satellite dish etc). FLATS has a special well-stocked library, an audio-visual room and a language laboratory.
With profession-oriented programmes, adequate equipment and competent lecturers among whom are professionals in various fields of language services, FLATS has produced graduates who are presently working within and outside Nigeria in such national and international establishments/organisations as NNPC, NPA, NTA, NMA, Chevron, ELF, SHELL, Peugeot, ECOWAS etc..
General Objectives
1. to help solve the problems of language services by training interpreters, bilingual secretaries and translators needed for international meetings, diplomatic services and research.
2. to produce graduates of foreign languages with a high proficiency in language and an essentially linguistic orientation; graduates fully equipped with the tool they need to perform very well in the areas of language or to qualify for training in the more specialized areas of language skill use, like translation and conference interpreting.
3. to run basic courses in foreign languages for interested students and staff of the university, civil servants and other members of the public.
4. to run special certificate/diploma courses in foreign languages, translation and conference interpreting tailored to the needs of certain groups or individuals.
