Namur is far more than a regional administrative capital: the city welcomes international NGOs, researchers at UNamur, Walloon civil servants in constant contact with the institutions of the European Union, and international experts on mission. For all these profiles, English-French translation is a daily professional necessity.
Namur, Walloon capital: a city with an international dimension
Namur is rarely associated with an international vocation, and yet the capital of Wallonia maintains close ties with Europe and the world. The Walloon Parliament and the Walloon Government, whose administrations are concentrated in Namur, work constantly with the institutions of the European Union in Brussels, which generates a significant flow of English documents: evaluation reports from the European Commission, European directives in their original version, memoranda of international cooperation and official correspondence with partners outside the French-speaking zone.
The University of Namur (UNamur) contributes to this international dimension by welcoming foreign researchers, participating in European research consortia and developing partnerships with African, American and Asian universities. Its scientific publications, its research reports and its partnership agreements are often drafted in English or require a translation between English and French.
Moreover, several international NGOs have chosen Namur or its surroundings as a base of operations for their Belgian and European programmes. These organisations, whose internal working languages are often English or French depending on the partners, have recurring needs for the translation of activity reports, project documents, terms of reference and funding agreements.
International NGOs and European experts
Organisations such as Handicap International (now Humanité & Inclusion), MSF (Doctors Without Borders) offices and other development NGOs present in the Namur region regularly produce English documents intended for international donors - European Union, UN agencies, American foundations - or for English-speaking partners in their countries of intervention. These documents - project proposals, interim reports, evaluation reports - must be translated into French for internal needs or for the Walloon and federal administrations.
The European experts on mission in Namur within the framework of cooperation or technical assistance projects with the SPW also have translation needs: their terms of reference (ToR), their interim deliverables and their final reports are often drafted in English and must be made available in French for the Walloon clients.
UNamur and international research
The University of Namur is recognised for its research centres in fundamental mathematics, life sciences and computer science. These fields are international by nature: publications are in English, collaborations are established with universities all over the world, and the foreign researchers who join UNamur bring with them academic and personal documents in English.
The English-speaking researchers who settle in Namur often need to have their personal documents translated for Belgian administrative procedures: civil status certificates from English-speaking countries, English or American diplomas for recognition by the Belgian academic authorities, employment contracts in English for the university's HR services. These translations must be produced by sworn translators when the Belgian administrations or courts are the recipients.
UNamur also welcomes double degree programmes and Erasmus agreements with English-speaking universities, which generates needs for the translation of academic documents between the two systems. The translation of British, American or Australian transcripts for academic equivalences is a frequent request from students and academic officials.
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English-French translation in Namur for an NGO, UNamur or a Walloon administration?
Translators specialised in European institutions, NGOs, academic research and Belgian law for Namur and Wallonia. Quote within 1h.
Most translated English documents in Namur
- NGO project reports and terms of reference: for the development organisations of Namur that must report to English-speaking donors (EU, UN agencies, USAID) or to French-speaking local partners.
- Scientific publications and research reports: for the researchers of UNamur who wish to disseminate their work in French or who receive evaluation reports in English from international scientific committees.
- Civil status certificates from English-speaking countries: British, Irish, American or Australian birth and marriage certificates for the foreign researchers and experts at UNamur or in the NGOs of Namur.
- Employment contracts and mission letters: for the English-speaking experts on mission in Namur or for the Walloon civil servants seconded to English-speaking international organisations.
- Directives and documents of the European Union: translation of European regulatory texts in their original English version for the lawyers and civil servants of the SPW or the Walloon Parliament.
- Funding agreements and grant agreements: grant agreements from the European Commission or other English-speaking donors for the beneficiaries of Namur.
- English-speaking diplomas and transcripts: for academic recognition at UNamur or professional validation in Wallonia for nationals of English-speaking countries.
Ordering your English-French translation from Namur
Our service is entirely online and accessible from anywhere. Whether you are a researcher at UNamur, a collaborator of an NGO in Namur or a Walloon civil servant, you submit your English documents via our quote form and receive a response in less than an hour with the all-inclusive rate and the delivery time.
For personal documents (civil status certificates, diplomas) intended for Belgian administrations, our sworn translators deliver a sworn translation in a secure PDF bearing their signature and seal, recognised by all the institutions of Namur and Wallonia. For professional documents (reports, contracts, publications), we also offer non-sworn professional translations at an optimised rate.
We have particular expertise in the documents of the European institutions, the terminology of development NGOs, academic and scientific vocabulary, and Belgian and Walloon law. Payment is made by bank transfer, with the IBAN details provided with the quote. Standard turnaround of 48 hours, 24h express option available.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can you translate evaluation reports from the European Commission in English for the SPW?
Yes. We regularly translate documents from the European Commission, the structural funds and other European institutions for Walloon regional administrations. These texts have their own terminology that our specialised translators master: ERDF, ESF, EAFRD, cohesion policy terms, audit procedures. The result is an accurate translation compliant with the official vocabulary used by the EU institutions.
Must a foreign researcher at UNamur have their diploma translated into French for the HR services?
This depends on the country of origin and the HR policy of UNamur. For diplomas from English-speaking countries, the HR services of UNamur generally require a translation into French for recruitment and tenure files. If the diploma must also be officially recognised by the Belgian authorities (for example to practise a regulated profession), then a sworn translation is required. We advise candidates according to their specific situation.
Do you also translate the grant agreements of the European Commission from English into French for NGOs in Namur?
Yes. The grant agreements of the European Commission are complex contractual documents that require an accurate translation to be fully usable by the French-speaking teams of the beneficiary NGOs. We translate these documents with particular attention to the contractual clauses, the reporting obligations and the conditions for the eligibility of expenditure.
What is the difference between a sworn translation and a professional translation for documents in Namur?
The sworn translation is produced by a sworn translator registered with the FPS Justice and bears their official signature and seal. It is mandatory when the document is submitted to a Belgian administration (municipality, court, Immigration Office). The professional translation, without certification, is sufficient for internal uses within an organisation, publications, reports and communication. The rates differ: the sworn translation is more expensive due to the legal responsibility undertaken by the translator.