International Days of Linguistic Accessibility 2027, 15th Nordic Seminar
14.–15.1.2027
Topic: Interpreting and Artificial Intelligence
Organizers: Diak UAS and University of Helsinki
The seminar is primarily targeted to interpreters, teachers and trainers of interpreting, and interpreting researchers working in the Nordic and Baltic countries.
The venue is either Diaconia University of Applied Sciences or the University of Helsinki (to be confirmed by October 2026).
You can present your research, host a workshop or a panel discussion related to the field of interpreting, or join us as a visitor without any own contribution.
Seminar program 2027
The seminar will be held 14.–15.1.2027. The program will be published in November 2026.
Contributors: information and registration
The seminar is arranged under the theme of Interpreting and Artificial Intelligence. Scholars from different fields of research gather to reflect on different perspectives on our main topic.
Suggested Themes and Topics for Contributions
We welcome proposals for presentations, workshops, and panel discussions. While we are particularly interested in the interface of interpreting and artificial intelligence (AI), submissions may approach this theme from various angles.
Examples of potential topics include, but are not limited to:
Cognitive Load vs. Relief: Studies on how real-time AI assistive tools (e.g., automated terminology extraction) affect interpreter fatigue, attention span, and performance.
Quality and Accuracy: Comparative analyses of Automated Speech Translation (AST) versus human interpreting in specific settings.
Multimodal AI: Exploring how emerging AI models process non-verbal cues, accents, and contextual nuances in Nordic languages.
Adapting the Curriculum: Strategies for integrating AI literacy, digital proficiency, and AI output supervision into interpreter training programs.
AI as a Pedagogical Tool: Using generative AI to create customized, adaptive practice materials and simulated speeches for students.
The Future of the Profession: How to guide students through market anxieties and prepare them for a hybrid human-AI working environment.
The AI “Boothmate”: Practical workshops on utilizing real-time Computer-Assisted Interpreting (CAI) tools for content management.
Ethics, Privacy, and Liability: Navigating data security and confidentiality when using cloud-based AI tools in sensitive assignments.
The Human Value Proposition: Defining and marketing the irreplaceable human elements of interpreting—such as empathy, cultural mediation, and crisis management—in an AI-driven market.
We are, of course, also open to other points of view and suggestions that fit our topic Interpreting and AI.
If you would like to contribute, there are three options:
A presentation (30 min+15 min discussion),
A panel discussion (15 min+30 min discussion)
or a workshop (60 min).
As for presentations, workshops, or panel discussions, please send your abstract via e-mail (max. 250 words + possible list of references) between 15th May and 18th Oct 2026 to both organizors.
Registration
We ask our presenters (presentation, workshop, or panel discussion) to register for the seminar electronically. The participation is free of charge. Please register here between 15th May and 18th Oct 2026.
Information on other practical matters will be updated on the seminar website during autumn term 2026. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the seminar organizers: Lena Segler, lena.segler@diak.fi and Erja Tenhonen-Lightfoot, erja.tenhonen-lightfoot@helsinki.fi
Visitors: information and registration
Please register here for the seminar electronically between 15th May and 18th Oct 2026. The participation in the seminar is free of charge.
Information on other practical matters will be updated on the seminar website during the autumn term 2026. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the seminar organizers: Lena Segler, lena.segler@diak.fi and Erja Tenhonen-Lightfoot, erja.tenhonen-lightfoot@helsinki.fi
Contact
Lena Segler, lena.segler@diak.fi, tel. +358(0)50 4108772
Erja Tenhonen-Lightfoot, erja.tenhonen-lightfoot@helsinki.fi, tel. +358(0)40-5227 527
Abstracts / IDLA 2027
The abstracts of presentations, workshops and panel discussions will be published in November 2026.