Master’s Degree Awarded to Ms. Amal Abdu Saleh Al-Dowah in Linguistics
Ms. Amal Abdu Saleh Al-Dowah was awarded a Master’s degree in Linguistics with an average of (Excellent) and a grade of (95%) for her thesis titled: Needs Assessment of Translation Students at Yemeni Universities with Reference to Job Requirements of INGOs, which was submitted to the Department of English, Faculty of Languages – Sana’a University. The MA defense was held on Thursday, September 25, 2025.
The MA Viva-voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:
| # | Committee Members | Designation | University | Position |
| 1 | Prof. Abdusalam M. Gh. Al-Ghrafy | Internal Examiner | Sana’a University | Chair |
| 2 | Prof. Abdulhameed A. Ashuja’a | Main Supervisor | Sana’a University | Member |
| 3 | Assoc. Prof. Abdulmu’min Ali Al-Muntasir | External Examiner | Hodeidah University | Member |
The thesis aimed to:
- Examine the extent to which translation education in Yemeni universities aligns with the professional competencies required by INGOs in humanitarian contexts.
The research yielded several key findings, summarized as follows:
- A significant gap between academic training and professional needs: 77.8% of participants reported a lack of alignment, and 83.3% noted insufficient opportunities for practical training.
- Only 22.3% agreed that current programs adequately prepare students for INGO-related work.
- Conversely, 88.9% stressed the need for training in emerging translation technologies, while 83.4% called for improving communication and professional mentoring.
Based on the findings, the researcher proposed several recommendations, including:
- Integrating humanitarian texts and terminology into curricula, with exercises based on authentic NGO documents.
- Establishing partnerships with INGOs to provide structured training and embedding practical translation projects that simulate the actual job market into coursework.
- Offering workshops on communication skills and CV writing as well as creating mentoring programs linking students with professional practitioners.
- Making humanitarian translation content a mandatory component of accredited curricula, including intercultural communication skills.
- Facilitating and encouraging collaboration between universities and INGOs.
The defense session was attended by a number of academics, researchers, and interested participants, colleagues and the researcher’s family members.
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