Within the framework of the European Union's drive towards the promotion of knowledge through wider access to specialist education and of the objective of improved employability through the acquisition of specialist competence, the EMCI programme is designed to equip young graduates with the professional skills and knowledge required for conference interpreting. It seeks to meet the demand for highly-qualified conference interpreters, particularly in the area of the less widely-used and less-taught languages and in view of the expansion of the Union and of the Union's increasing dialogue with its non-European partners. The curriculum was developed in consultation with the European Institutions and continuation of this cooperation is an integral part of the programme.

In developing the programme, the participating institutions combined their individual expertise, and it is their aim to optimise their use of resources through transnational cooperation in the delivery of the programme.

Special emphasis is laid on international cooperation and mobility including

• study visits to the European Commission, the European Parliament and other international organisations and institutions,
• visits and exchanges of teaching staff, and
• visits by students to partner institutions abroad.

In order to honour their commitment to quality maintenance, the participating institutions will regularly review changing needs and new developments and permanently update the programme. They will make use of new technologies where appropriate and will contribute to the dissemination of their application.

The partner institutions will pursue a common policy on student recruitment and assessment, based on the aims of the programme and on the quality criteria which underpin the core curriculum. The participants aim to contribute to spreading good practice across Europe.