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IHK - die Unternehmer- Mitmachorganisation
Abschlussprüfungsmandant

Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

Aktuar

English translation:

Secretary

Added to glossary by Katie Moore
Jun 28, 2012 10:17
11 yrs ago
7 viewers *
German term

Aktuar

German to English Other Certificates, Diplomas, Licenses, CVs Swiss Degree Certificate
I am translating a 2010 Swiss degree certificate into BE from a Faculty of Arts and at the bottom it has been signed by three people:

Der Rektor - Vice-Chancellor
Der Dekan - Dean
Der Aktuar - Actuary?

Has anybody else come across this? Does it really mean actuary or is there another meaning when it is used in this context (treasurer perhaps)? The only definitions I can find say 'actuary' and when I search online for Swiss universities/Switzerland + Aktuar, only actuarial related websites come up. I have looked at the organisational structure for the university and it's not a position listed alongside the Rektor and Dekan so I wonder if it is just the title of a third person who has signed the certificate.

Any suggestions would be greatly received! Thanks.
Proposed translations (English)
3 Secretary
Change log

Jun 28, 2012 10:45: Cilian O'Tuama changed "Level" from "Non-PRO" to "PRO"

Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

PRO (3): Steffen Walter, BrigitteHilgner, Cilian O'Tuama

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Discussion

Judith Shiozawa (X) Jun 29, 2012:
Registrar In my experience philgoddard's suggestion of registrar as a possible answer for "Aktuar" is appropriate in this case, at least in US English. The registrar at an university can verify the dates of attendance of and degrees awared to a former student. It seems possible that the registrar would also sign the the actual certificate.
philgoddard Jun 28, 2012:
You're welcome.
Katie Moore (asker) Jun 28, 2012:
Thanks for your help. This is only the second time I've posted a question here, so I'm still trying to get to grips with which boxes to tick/not tick, it wasn't deliberate.
philgoddard Jun 28, 2012:
I don't know why you've banned nonmembers from answering (it means you get much less of a response), but the answer is definitely secretary or registrar. For example:
"Das Organische Statut von 1829 sah einen rechtskundigen Aktuar (Universitätssekretär) zur Unterstützung des Kanzlers vor".
www.uni-tuebingen.de/UAT/prov/datei48.htm
"Actuary" meant "secretary" in English until the 19th century:
http://dictionary.reference.com/etymology/actuary
Katie Moore (asker) Jun 28, 2012:
I've been doing some more research and found this in German: http://www.uzh.ch/about/management/senat.html - "Aktuar Dr. Kurt Reimann, Generalsekretär" which would suggest James is correct with Secretary, but when I looked at their English version: http://www.uzh.ch/about/management/senat_en.html, they have left the title as actuary: "Actuary Dr. Kurt Reimann, Secretary General" I wonder if it is better to stick with Secretary, despite their version, as I think actuary is misleading in an English context.

Proposed translations

1 hr
Selected

Secretary

Here is a possible answer, from a website about the alumni economists of the University of Zurich:

"- dem Aktuar oder der Aktuarin (Secretary),"

see web reference below.
Reference:

http://www.oecalumni.uzh.ch/media/pages/page_10.pdf

Note from asker:
Thanks James!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks James! Went with your response since it came from the same university as the certificate I was translating."
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