Critical Link 8: Conference Summary

Interpreters of Tomorrow – Future-proofing interpreting and translating

Critical Link 8 (CLI 8) took place in Edinburgh, Scotland, hosted by the Centre for Translation & Interpreting Studies in Scotland (CTISS) at Heriot-Watt University. The pre-conference events ran on 27–28 June, and the main conference programme ran from 29 June to 1 July. Close to 400 attendees took part.

Focus of the conference

Under the title “Interpreters of Tomorrow”, the conference focused on the future of the profession amidst rapid technological and global change. Sessions discussed the impact of technology on daily work, covering both solutions and challenges. They looked at information technology affecting service provision, job searches and ways of reaching clients, as well as increased support for interpreters in the para-translation and para-interpreting domain. The conference also emphasised the economic impact of using interpreters, examined methods to assess that impact and discussed ways to encourage investment in language resources.

Programme and themes

The organisers received over 280 abstracts from 30 countries across 6 sub-continents, which shaped a programme that was wide in scope and reflected international interests. A scholarship application form was made available for PhD students and early career researchers. Sessions on medical and legal interpreting, policy, practice, and new technology and approaches featured every day. Delegates who were interested in particular themes could follow them on these days:

• Gender-based violence (Day 1)
• The courtroom (Days 1 and 2)
• Police settings (Day 2)
• Mental health settings (Day 2)
• Immigration and asylum (Days 2 and 3)
• Education settings (Days 2 and 3)
• Working with children (Day 3)

Activities and events

The programme aimed to ensure that the voices of all stakeholders were heard. Critical Link International hosted a panel of experts from different parts of the globe, who presented, compared and challenged current working conditions. Delegates also had the opportunity to attend the CLI AGM during the conference.

The Gala Dinner was held at The Hub, a few steps from Edinburgh Castle on Castlehill. A ceilidh with Scottish country dancing, led by a live band and guided by a Caller, followed the dinner. Those who preferred not to dance could enjoy watching.