APTIS 2026: Cardiff University and Swansea University

The 2026 APTIS conference will take place in Wales for the first time, being jointly hosted by Cardiff University and Swansea University.

Conference Theme: "Living with AI: From disruption to direction in translation and interpreting"

The conference will take place from 15-17 April 2026 in Cardiff, with an optional ‘cultural’ day in Swansea on Saturday 18 April.

We welcome abstract submissions for traditional papers, book launches, workshops, and students’ flash talks.

Key dates

Call for papers

Conference Theme: "Living with AI: From disruption to direction in translation and interpreting"

The landscape of translation and interpreting (T&I) is undergoing rapid transformation. Notably spurred on by the development and infiltration of GenerativeAI, which continues to dominate debates several years after its emergence, disruptive technologies underlie these changes to professional practice, academic inquiry, and T&I training contexts, as we seek to grapple with the pedagogical challenges and opportunities that these developments bring about. However, having long dealt with waves of disruption, particularly in relation to automation, T&I educators, researchers, and professionals are perhaps uniquely positioned to lead the conversation on what comes next.

This conference provides a space to reflect on the ways in which our professional and academic roles, practices, and training contexts have changed in recent years, to take stock of the present situation, and to consider the aforementioned challenges and opportunities for T&I research, practice, and education. In doing so, it aims to foster dialogue, share innovative teaching and learning practices, and build a collaborative vision for the future of the field.

We invite proposals for papers, workshops, book launches, and flash talks from students (BA/BSc, MA/MSc, or PhD) that explore the evolving role of T&I practice, education, and research in response to technological disruption and current industry change more generally.

Topics of Interest include (but are not limited to):

• (Post-)AI pedagogies in translation and interpreting education
• Repositioning T&I education (as in, its purpose and values)
• Case studies of innovation in T&I teaching and assessment
• Re-skilling and up-skilling for present and future T&I professionals and trainers
• Industry↔Academia approaches to teaching and researching T&I
• The impact of machine translation and AI tools on curriculum design
• Ethical and professional challenges in the age of automation
• Interdisciplinary approaches to T&I research in a digital age
• The role of human expertise in hybrid translation workflows, creating/adding value in the AI age, and conceptualising that value in training contexts
• New and emerging job roles in post-AI academic and industry landscapes
• Mitigating risk in the use of AI e.g. in translator training or professional contexts

Submission guidelines

Book launches

Please submit an abstract of 150–200 words, including a title, author(s) name(s), affiliation(s), and a short bio (max 100 words). Submissions should clearly outline the relevance to conference participants.

Workshops

Please submit an abstract of 350–400 words, including a title, author(s) name(s), affiliation(s), and a short bio (max 100 words). Submissions should clearly outline what training will be provided to participants, as workshops are intended to be hands-on.

Papers

Please submit an abstract of 250–300 words, including a title, author(s) name(s), affiliation(s), and a short bio (max 100 words). Submissions should clearly outline the relevance to the conference theme.

Students’ Flash Talks (5 minutes)

Please submit an abstract of 150-200 words, including a title, author(s) name(s), affiliation(s) and a short bio (max 100 words). Flash Talks should be short, engaging presentations (with or without slides) that spotlight emerging research, innovative ideas and/or solutions to problems, workarounds to problems, or personal insights into the evolving Translation and Interpreting landscape in industry and/or academia.

Please visit the conference website for more information and to submit abstracts.