This is a challenge for the whole of society, especially for interpreters. At InDialog 2015, 20-21 November 2015 in Berlin, experts will be addressing this issue, among other topics, in a session on training interpreters for highly sensitive settings. Dr Sonja Pöllabauer from the Institute for Translation Studies at the University of Graz will be speaking at the conference.

She sees a lack of further-education options for interpreters in asylum procedures in Europe. In order to be able to carry out their work fairly and effectively, interpreters require more than perfect language skills. Study programmes, for example, help to prepare interpreters for a working environment that requires cross-cultural competence and suitable ways to overcome emotionally charged situations.

Experts will offer insights from all over the world into areas such as healthcare, the judicial system, public service, education, and mediation. The 2015 InDialog conference will focus primarily on technology in community interpreting, as well as the related implications, possibilities and limitations in research, training, and practice.

The topics that will be discussed include: dealing with growing multilingualism and geographical distances; dialogue interpreting; training and evaluation in different contexts; community interpreting research methodology, data collection and analysis; and supervision and psychological support for community interpreters.

InDialog is aimed at government representatives, policymakers, contractors, users and clients of interpreting services, academics, instructors, interpreters, language and culture mediators, and students. The conference serves to promote networking and the exchange of research results and best practices.

The conference takes place in connection with EXPOLINGUA Berlin, the 28th international fair for languages and cultures.