On Tuesday, 18 March 2025, Dr. h. c. prof. Mgr. Slávka Tomaščíková, PhD., the Vice-rector for International Relations, welcomed H.E. Nicolas Suran, Ambassador of the French Republic to the Slovak Republic, at the Rector’s Office of the University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik in Košice. The ambassador accepted the invitation of our university on the occasion of his lecture at the Faculty of Arts of UPJŠ on the topic of Economic Diplomacy. Simultaneous interpretation from French into Slovak was provided by students of the English for European Institutions and Economics program (French language module) from the Department of British and American Studies at the Faculty of Arts of UPJŠ. Interpreting for Ukrainian students was also provided in the form of “chuchotage”, which was also provided by the students of Translation and Interpreting at the BAS department of FA UPJŠ.
“At the moment when the management of the UPJŠ Faculty of Arts decided to include the French language in its range, it was based on the conviction that a modern faculty of arts must also offer this noble language. However, they tried to give this idea an up-to-date feel and a practical dimension. The choice to focus on economics and European institutions made the study of French unique in Slovakia. It turned out to be the right choice. French today suffers from its reputation as a language of elites, difficult to master. Such unfair stigmatizing can be combated with practical programs. The fact that today’s lecture brought together representatives of the diplomatic corps, cultural and academic institutions and that the interpretation was provided by our students is the best proof that French is, in addition to a language of diplomacy, also a language of business and science,” said prof. Mgr. Renáta Panocová, PhD., Dean of the Faculty of Arts at UPJŠ.
“At the Faculty of Arts, future graduates are preparing for a very desirable and meritable activity – to communicate knowledge and experience. Our future interpreters and translators are sort of an imaginary mediator – with their help, not only business but also peace treaties are concluded and the decision-making process in the European Union institutions functions. Our graduates, who have perfect command of economic and legal terminology in three languages – Slovak, French and English, can find employment there as well. I can therefore proudly state that they are present in the important processes that affect our future,” said Professor Tomaščíková, Vice-Rector of UPJŠ.
Guests:
H. E. Nicolas Suran, French Ambassador to the Slovak Republic
Bronislava Sinčáková, French Embassy
Thomas Perrin, Attache for Scientific and University Cooperation
Martina Saganová, French Institute
Miroslav Kot, president of French-Slovak Chamber of Commerce
Zuzana Devergnes, director of French-Slovak Chamber of Commerce
Daniela Petrov-Druet, The Francophone University Agency
Ionela Vintu, Holcim
Anna Ľuptáková, Holcim
Radovan Gura, director of L’Institut Universitaire Franco-Slovaque
Estelle Kosnansky, director of Alliance Française de Košice language school
Ján Buleca, Vice-Dean for International Relations and Development at the Faculty of Economics, Technical University of Košice
Marianna Siničáková, Facuty of Economics, Technical University of Košice
