CfP: Translation and Language Education in the Age of AI: Theoretical and Practical Frameworks

Conference: Friday 25 April 2025
CfP deadline: 1 November 2024


Papers are invited for this one-day conference to take place in Manchester next April. The impact of generative AI technologies such as ChatGPT is rapidly changing the frameworks of reference for the education and training of future language experts and translators. As a result, the role of language education has been greatly enhanced and simultaneously challenged. The broad availability of easily accessible AI-based resources has been changing the way language learning and translation are understood and practised today by students and teachers alike. The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated progress on new approaches to teaching and learning, yet some important areas such as curriculum development, assessment practices, and teacher training have lagged behind. The need to redefine the meaning and purpose of both teaching and assessment in Modern Languages in the new AI era is already an urgent task. By bringing together experts in AI, digital education, language teaching, and translation studies, as well as professional translators and publishers, this conference will offer an opportunity to reflect upon the challenges and possibilities that the AI revolution offers, and to steer future research towards a more integrated approach to digital literacy, language education, and translation training.

Plenary speakers:
Thomas Jochum-Critchley (University of York) 
Dorothy Kenny (Dublin City University) 
Mairead Pratschke (University of Manchester) 
Marcus Tomalin (University of Cambridge) 

Plenary talks in the morning will be offered in hybrid format; afternoon sessions will be in-person only and will take the form of standard papers (15 minutes), lightning talks (5 minutes), and posters.

We invite scholars, PhD students, and practitioners to submit proposals for papers, lightning talks, or posters that address the following themes:

 -  innovative pedagogical strategies for integrating AI in language education and translation
 -  case studies of successful AI driven projects in language learning and translation
 -  theoretical frameworks for assessing the effectiveness of AI tools in language education and translation
 -  challenges and ethical considerations in using AI for language assessment and feedback

If you are interested in offering a session, please send the following by 1 November:

 -  format of your contribution (paper, lightning talk, poster)
 -  300-word abstract
 -  your name, contact email, and institution/professional area 

Registration will open on 30 January. Registration fees will cover attendance to morning and afternoon sessions, lunch and refreshments:
Full in-person fee £20
Concessionary fee £10 (Student/Part-time employment)
Online (am only)/unwaged Free

All proposals should be sent to Ángeles Carreres. For all other queries, please write to Ana Niño Alonso.

Accepted abstracts will be confirmed by 15 January and a draft programme will be available from 30 January. A selection of papers will be published after the conference.


Convenors
Monica Boria, Catherine Franc, and Ana Niño Alonso (University of Manchester)
Ángeles Carreres and Marcus Tomalin (University of Cambridge)