Inclusion is often spoken about as a value. Less often do we speak about the systems that make it possible. For deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, inclusion depends not only on awareness or goodwill, but on something very concrete: access to qualified sign language interpreters. When interpreters are well trained, ethically grounded, and professionally recognised, communication barriers are reduced and participation becomes possible. When they are not, exclusion quietly persists.
Across many regions in Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa, the training of sign language interpreters remains inconsistent or underdeveloped. In some contexts, programmes are informal or short-term. In others, curricula lack standardisation or alignment with labour market realities. Ethical frameworks may exist in principle but are not always embedded in training structures. The result is a shortage of qualified professionals and uneven service quality. For deaf individuals, this translates into difficulties accessing healthcare, navigating legal systems, participating fully in education, or securing employment. The impact is social, economic, and deeply personal.
The SignUnity partnership ecosystem was created in response to this structural challenge. Rather than approaching the issue through a single intervention, the initiative brings together a network of organisations from Europe and Africa that operate at different levels of the education and inclusion landscape. It connects deaf community organisations, universities, vocational education providers, secondary schools, digital learning specialists, and youth actors into one coordinated framework. The strength of this model lies not simply in the number of partners involved, but in the way their roles interconnect.
At the centre of the ecosystem stands a strong coordinating institution with deep roots in the deaf community and experience in vocational education. This ensures that the project remains grounded in lived realities rather than abstract policy ambitions. Alongside this community-based leadership, academic expertise plays a crucial role. Through research and comparative analysis, existing training models are mapped, labour market needs are examined, and professional standards are reviewed across regions. This research foundation ensures that the curriculum being developed is not only aspirational, but evidence-based and responsive to actual demands.
Equally important is the anchoring of the project within African institutions that face acute interpreter shortages. By involving local associations and educational institutions directly in piloting and refining the training model, the partnership avoids a one-directional transfer of knowledge. Instead, it fosters mutual learning. European partners contribute structured vocational education models and experience with quality assurance mechanisms, while African partners bring contextual understanding, linguistic diversity, and insights into institutional realities. This shared ownership increases both relevance and sustainability.
One of the defining features of the SignUnity ecosystem is its integration of digital innovation. The development of an e-learning platform ensures that the new curriculum and ethical handbook are not confined to physical classrooms or limited geographic areas. By digitising materials and making them accessible online, the project reduces barriers related to distance, cost, and infrastructure. In regions where access to formal training may be limited, digital tools become a powerful equaliser. They also extend the lifespan of the project’s outcomes, allowing materials to be updated and used beyond the funded period.
What makes this ecosystem particularly significant is its systemic ambition. The goal is not only to train a cohort of interpreters, but to strengthen the institutions that educate them. Universities enhance their curricula. Vocational education providers refine their methodologies. Deaf associations deepen their engagement in professional standards. Digital providers establish sustainable platforms. By reinforcing institutional capacity, the partnership contributes to long-term resilience rather than temporary solutions.
The professionalisation of sign language interpreting is more than a sectoral reform; it is closely linked to human rights. Communication access is foundational to equality. Without reliable interpreting services, participation in public life remains conditional. Strengthening training standards, embedding ethical guidelines, and aligning qualifications with labour market expectations are steps toward ensuring that interpreting is recognised as a profession with clear responsibilities and societal value.
The importance of the SignUnity partnership ecosystem therefore extends beyond the field of interpreter education. It demonstrates how inclusive societies are built through collaboration across borders and sectors. By linking research with practice, community knowledge with institutional development, and digital innovation with vocational training, the project offers a model for addressing complex social challenges.
In a world where inclusion is often discussed in policy terms, the SignUnity ecosystem reminds us that inclusion requires infrastructure. It requires trained professionals, supportive institutions, shared standards, and sustained cooperation. By building bridges between Europe and Africa and between education systems and community realities, this partnership contributes to a future in which communication is not a barrier but a right upheld through professional excellence.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.