UAE’s Rabdan Academy, a global leader in safety, security, defence, emergency preparedness and crisis management, has launched the Specialized Translation in Defence and Security program. The program aims to qualify national translators with expertise in simultaneous and consecutive translation, specifically for field training within the security and defence sectors.
As the first program of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa region, it offers up to 40 accredited hours, which are recognized within the national qualifications framework. Rabdan Academy, an officially accredited training provider by the National Qualifications Center, is offering the program to eligible participants from national entities. The Academy will enable national entities to nominate their employees with a bachelor's degree or higher to participate in the program, subject to specific terms and criteria.
Participation is open to UAE nationals who meet specific criteria, including holding a family book, a bachelor’s degree or higher, an age range of 22-40 years, an IELTS score of 6-6.5, completion of national service for males, an EmSAT Arabic score of at least 1400, and a high level of physical fitness.
Dr. Muna Abdulla Balfaqeeh, Director of Vocational Education Affairs at Rabdan Academy, highlighted that the program supports the integration of cutting-edge technologies and advancements in defence and security industries. It enhances military training by accurately and professionally transferring global experiences, ensuring confidentiality and privacy in the military context.
Balfaqeeh added that training UAE nationals in this critical field aligns with Rabdan Academy’s mission to deliver comprehensive learning and development services that bolster the professional development system across safety, security, defence, emergency preparedness, and crisis management sectors. It also supports the UAE’s capacity to face regional and global challenges.
The five-month program includes theoretical courses such as English for military purposes, military language in the UAE context, Arabic translation skills, and simultaneous and consecutive interpretation exercises within the military framework. Participants will also engage in practical field training, shadowing experienced interpreters to gain hands-on experience in military and security translation.
Developed by Rabdan Academy’s Vocational Education Affairs Division, the program is designed to enhance the professional capabilities of security and defence personnel, equipping national institutions with highly qualified translators in accordance with the highest quality standards.
Rabdan Academy’s vocational achievements include five international accreditations and three local accreditations from prestigious bodies such as the Military Qualifications Centre, Security Qualifications Centre, Global Innovation Institute, ILM, National Open College Network (NOCN), UK’s City & Guilds, and Pearson BTEC. The Academy is also an active member of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM).
Rabdan Academy is a government-owned world-class education institution established to coordinate and enhance learning outcomes for organisations and individuals in the Safety, Security, Defence, Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Management (SSDEC) Sectors.
The Academy was officially established under Law No. 7 for 2013, issued by the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and is accredited by the UAE’s Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the Ministry of Education.
The Academy is the first higher education institution in the world specialised in the SSDEC domain that achieves top ‘5 star’ ratings in the 2 categories of Teaching and Employability under the QS Stars University Rating System.
As a unique institution, the Academy provides learning in a dual approach, combining academic and vocational education in one place, whilst recognising prior learning and experience and providing accredited and transferable credit from course to course and job to job.
