EDUCATION
Since arriving in Australia in 2022, Olena Radievska has become a leading figure in Ukrainian–English language services here, and recently received an AUSIT Excellence Award (see page 9). She reports here on the new Ukrainian stream that she initiated and has co-developed in RMIT University’s Master of Translation and Interpreting program.
In July 2025, RMIT University reached a historic milestone by introducing a Ukrainian stream within its Master of T&I program …
… making it the first higher education program in Australia enabling students to gain NAATI certification in Ukrainian–English.
The Ukrainian stream was developed by a dedicated team within RMIT’s School of Global, Urban and Social Studies: Associate Professor Erika González, Associate Professor Miranda Lai, Dr Olga García-Caro Alcázar, and Olena Radievska, who teaches students in the Ukrainian–English language pair.
The launch was marked by a public lecture from His Excellency, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Australia and New Zealand, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, in which he emphasised translation as both a linguistic and a moral act – a means of truth-telling and resistance to disinformation – and expressed strong support for RMIT’s new initiative.
Q: What inspired the creation of the Ukrainian stream?
Olena Radievska: Since the full-scale invasion in 2022, many Ukrainians have resettled in Australia. They need language support in health, legal and social services, and at the same time, many Australians are seeking accurate information about Ukraine. We saw an urgent need to train professional interpreters and translators who can serve both communities.
Erika González: RMIT has always responded to real-world communication needs. After the celebration marking the 50th Anniversary of T&I programs at RMIT early this year, Olena reached out with the idea of introducing Ukrainian to meet the growing demand for language services and community support. I immediately saw the value, and we already had the infrastructure and government-funded framework to make it possible. From there everything aligned quickly, and by July 2025,
the first Ukrainian stream in Australia became a reality.
Q: How does this initiative build international connections?
Olga García-Caro: We’re developing joint online activities with the Department of Translation Studies at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, allowing students in both countries to share interpreting practice and feedback.
Miranda Lai: Our collaboration with Lviv began in 2024 when their students, supervised by Dr Oleksandra Litvinyak, translated the AUSIT Code of Ethics into Ukrainian, and Olena edited the translation (now published on the AUSIT website). This gave Ukrainian students insight into Australian professional standards and laid the foundation for our ongoing partnership.
Q: What opportunities does RMIT offer for those wishing to study Ukrainian T&I?
Olga García-Caro: Students can choose flexible study options: complete a full Master of T&I degree, or exit earlier with a Graduate Certificate (six months) or Graduate Diploma (one year). The program is NAATI-endorsed and can be studied online or on campus in Melbourne. With government-funded places available, many students may be able to study at little or no cost. Any eligible students across Australia, regardless of their state or territory, are welcome to join the program. It’s a wonderful opportunity to build professional skills while helping bridge communication gaps within their own communities.
Q: What impact will this have?
Erika González: Adding a Ukrainian stream to RMIT’s Master of T&I program extends our five-decade legacy and reflects our commitment to linguistic and cultural diversity. For many refugees and new arrivals, an interpreter is the first person who helps them find their voice in a new country. We’re proud that RMIT graduates will now be able to support the Ukrainian community in this way as NAATI-certified T&I practitioners.
To find out more, visit www.rmit.edu.au and search ‘Translation and Interpreting’.
Professional translator, interpreter and academic Olena Radievska is fluent in Ukrainian, English and Russian, and leads Australia’s first Ukrainian Interpreting stream at RMIT University. Her work spans media, government, legal, humanitarian, academic and literary fields. Through collaborations with Ukrainian and Australian institutions, she continues to foster intercultural understanding and strengthen professional networks. In 2025, she received the AUSIT Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution in the Interpreting or Translation Field in Languages of Limited Diffusion.
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