Dallas, TX – Nov. 19, 2024 – Dallas International University (DIU) and Associação Linguística Evangélica Missionária (ALEM) have formalized a groundbreaking partnership to expand Bible translation capacity in Brazil and other Lusophone regions. The organizations will collaborate to offer a Master of Arts in Translation Facilitation (MA-FT), delivered in Portuguese. DIU President Scott Berthiaume and ALEM Executive Director Edilson Renzetti signed this partnership into effect at the recent Wycliffe Global Alliance conference in South Africa.
DIU and ALEM Unite for Bible Translation in Brazil
“DIU and ALEM have established a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening translator training and advancing Bible translation in Brazil and beyond,” says Renzetti. “This agreement reflects a mutual commitment to align goals, share dreams and work together for transformative impact.”
The MA-FT program is designed to address the growing need for skilled translation facilitators who can provide mid-level quality assurance and foster multicultural collaboration in Bible translation projects. Delivered in Portuguese, the program will equip graduates with critical knowledge of biblical languages, multicultural soft skills, and translation methodologies, while also emphasizing principles of adult learning and mentoring.
ALEM will play a pivotal role by sharing resources with DIU in areas of instructors, admissions, and marketing. The Brazilian organization will also work with DIU to contextualize the University’s existing MA in Translation Advising curriculum for Lusophone contexts. The MA in Translation Facilitation will be a DIU program approved by the University’s regional accreditor SACSCOC and is set to launch in Fall 2025.
DIU President Scott Berthiaume added,
“DIU is incredibly blessed to partner with ALEM to Bible translation education in Brazil and other Lusophone regions. We look forward to learning from their decades of experience as we launch this graduate program, our first program to cross the language barrier from English to Portuguese.”
This innovative partnership exemplifies the collaborative flavor of the modern Bible translation movement. Both organizations anticipate that the program will not only meet the needs of translation teams in Brazil but also inspire similar initiatives in other regions where translation work is underway.
For more information about the MA-FT program and this partnership, contact the DIU Marketing department.
Contact:
Todd Scacewater
marketing@diu.edu
Director of Marketing
Dallas International University
Victoria Infante
cursos_alem@wycliffe.org.br
Associação Linguistica Evangélica Missionária – ALEM