DRAFT!
Our first newsletter of 2023 introduces two fresh deliverables – a machine translation report and a cost-benefit analysis, and gives a brief overview of this year's plans.
Machine translation report and cost-benefit analysis have been published!
The report looks into machine translation tools that could be useful for example in the translation of study record data e.g. learning outcomes. The feasibility of machine translations has been examined by KPMG. Here are listed a few key findings and recommendations that the report provides.
- It is important to choose a translator service based on the type of text that will be translated. First clarify, how complex the translated texts will be, how much text there will be, and which are the input/output languages.
- Machine translation does not understand cultural differences. The best translation result is obtained when the text is clearly structured both grammatically and logically, and it conforms to the rules of the methods being used. Even high-quality machine translation does not produce 100% accurate text in every context.
- Hybrid translation is a process where a machine translates the text, and it is checked and refined by a human professional. This human-machine interaction is called human-in-the-loop (HITL).
- Code-like texts are not automatically recognized by machine translators. Translating codes can be only used in certain type of machine translators that are based on codes. Machine cannot automatically translate a code "KHJ843287" to a certain course "Fundamentals of financial management". However, it is technically possible to build translator that can transform code-to-text.
- Certain services share data with third parties which can cause a problem regarding GDPR legislation. If the machine translation service saves data, make sure you know who owns and manages the data. Open-source machine translation services might create similar challenges, as systems based on open-source code may give an open license for anyone using the service also to use translated information worldwide.
- EU is currently updating legislation that guides the use of artificial intelligence in Europe. Considering the legislation, it may create both challenges and opportunities in the future. So stay tuned
Project Manager Riikka Rissanen
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Specialist Petteri Pulli
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e-mail: firstname.lastname@oph.fi
Publications and reports
- Cost-benefit analysis
- Machine translation report
- Baseline study publication
Background information
- Project Introduction
- Finland to promote digitalisation during its 2021 Presidency of Nordic Council of Ministers
- Finnish National Agency for Education promotes the mobility of students’ achievement records in the Nordic and Baltic countries
- Webinar: Ways of electronically sharing student data (44:50 →)
- European Interoperability Framework (EIF): legal, organisational, semantic, and technical interoperability
CBDS-Study has also produced a cost-benefit analysis (read more here) which looks into the costs and benefits of smooth digital transfer of study record data from a general perspective (see the summarizing picture on the right column of this page). The analysis contains a rough overview on the initiatives, projects and already functioning solutions in the field of cross-border study record data exchange. It also provides us with some recommendations that can be summarized as follows.
- There is a large potential in study record data exploitation and each country has their own challenges
- There already is an electronic cross-border data exchange solution in production use (EMREX) and many on-going initiatives around cross-border data exchange
- The educational institutions and their study administration will get the most benefits out of smooth cross-border study record data exchange
Plans for spring 2023
As next steps we are going to continue the work on handbook of cross-border data exchange. The handbook will be constructed in collaboration with Nordic-Baltic partners. You may be invited to give your input to the handbook in workshop sessions during spring. Stay tuned for more information!
You can find more detailed information and project related material on the right column of this page. See also the picture below that captures nicely the workshop. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions, comments or ideas for further collaboration.
We wish you all happy new year 2023!
– Project Manager Riikka Rissanen and Specialist Petteri Pulli
