The University of Bamenda Language Centre (UBALAC) has legal personality as per the text creating The University of Bamenda. Placed under the academic supervision of the Faculty of Arts, the institution in the mid-to-long term, is expected to morph into a fully-fledged autonomous University of Bamenda institution (The School of Translation, Interpretation, and of Intercultural Communication and Mediation (STIICOME or UBASTIICOME). It offers a variety of programmes from the Bachelor of Arts (BA) to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), for which it awards corresponding degrees. 2) MISSION AND VISION OF UBALAC The mission and vision of UBALAC are as follows: a) MISSION OF UBALAC: The University of Bamenda Language Centre (UBALAC) is a nationally and internationally suitable academic outfit with a three-fold mission, namely, to teach; conduct research; and contribute to nation-building and human development and understanding from a linguistico-cultural purview, through the training graduates that meet the demands of an ever-demanding and evolving globalising era. To achieve this mission, UBALAC has opted to operate a dual hybrid training approach of academic research-oriented programmes, on the one hand, intimately intertwined with highly affirmed international professional comparable and competitive standards. This leads to the award of academic degrees ranging from the Bachelor of Arts (BA) through the Master of Arts (MA) to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Consequently, the staff of UBALAC is a careful blend of first-rate academics and professionals. b) VISION OF UBALAC: Form the ensuing mission, UBALAC functions on the following operational objectives: - equip graduates academically and professionally for an ever-changing job market; - graduate young, enthusiastic, industrious, self-confident and innovative experts for the national and international market. - provide top-notch training not only for self-employment but equally for the open market; - use translation, interpretation, intercultural communication and mediation to facilitate the provision of language services; - provide entrepreneurship skills for language enhancement; translation; interpretation; and intercultural communication and mediation. From these objectives, UBALAC sets out to promote the provision of varied language service(s) positioned and anchored on five main disciplinary prisms, namely functional language enhancement; language translation; language interpretation; intercultural communication and mediation; and general studies. These foci will bring together individuals and groups of disparate linguistico-cultural backgrounds, with a view to facilitate integration processes through the elimination of both linguistic and cultural barriers; more specifically to promote foreign and global communication; enhance interpersonal communication; and diminish the negative consequences of language barriers, socio-cultural differences and tensions between groups. 3) DESCRIPTION OF THE INSTITUTION The University of Bamenda Language Centre (UBALAC) is academically structured according to the following Divisions, to be added over time, as need arises. They are: i. THE MULTILINGUAL LANGUAGE ENHANCEMENT DIVISION ii. THE TRANSLATION DIVISION iii. THE INTERPRETATION DIVISION iv. THE INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION AND MEDIATION DIVISION v. THE GENERAL STUDIES DIVISION These Divisions are envisaged to each run Departments with programmes that are department-specific, especially those of multidisciplinary character. 4) PROGRAMMES OFFERED BY UBALAC The University of Bamenda Language Centre (UBALAC) offers the BA, MA, and PhD programmes based on a sound triangulated academico-professional philosophy. The BA lays the foundation that is buttressed by the MA. The PhD consolidates the MA by applying research skills gained at the Masters Level by laying the foundation for teaching and research through the training of high-level manpower for careers in the various language services provision specialties. UBALAC currently runs the following programmes, spread across the proposed Divisons, as approved: i. BACHELOR OF ARTS (BA) DEGREE IN TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION ii. BACHELOR OF ARTS (BA) DEGREE IN INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION AND MEDIATION iii. MASTER OF ARTS (MA) DEGREE IN TRANSLATION iv. MASTER OF ARTS (MA) DEGREE IN INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION AND MEDIATION v. DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PhD) DEGREE IN TRANSLATION, INTERPRETATION AND INTERCULTURAL STUDIES vi. DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PhD) DEGREE IN INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION AND MEDIATION STUDIES 5) APPELATION OF DEGREES AWARDED AT GRADUATION Students graduate from UBALAC with the following degrees: i. BA TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION ii. BA INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION AND MEDIATION iii. MA TRANSLATION iv. MA INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION AND MEDIATION v. PhD TRANSLATION, INTERPRETATION AND INTERCULTURAL STUDIES vi. PhD INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION AND MEDIATION STUDIES
