Every month we offer new webinars on a variety of topics, free for all to attend as part of the support we offer to linguists and the languages profession. Presented by experts in their fields, they give linguists the opportunity to update and broaden their skills and pursue new areas of interest. These webinars are recorded and then uploaded to the CIOL webinar library.

Medical translation has gone hand in hand with medicine since its very beginnings. From the translation of documents in antiquity only accessible to a select part of the population (such as the Hippocratic Oath) to the translation of health-related digital content accessible to everyone nowadays, medical translators played, and continue to play, a vital role in promoting medical knowledge, empowering people and bettering their quality of life.

In this webinar, you will learn about resources that are useful for medical translators (the focus being on English into Spanish translation) and how to put them into practice. We will also explore the typical mistakes seen in medical translations, and how to avoid them.

This webinar is designed to provide legal interpreters with a comprehensive understanding of the legal professionals they frequently work with—solicitors, barristers, and legal clerks—and their specific roles and responsibilities. Attendees will explore the dynamics of interpreting in various legal settings, both remotely and in person, including civil and criminal courts, tribunals, solicitor offices, barristers’ chambers, clients’ homes, and police stations.

Key aspects of maintaining professionalism and adhering to the interpreter’s Code of Conduct will be highlighted, especially in sensitive situations such as being asked to take witness statements independently or interpret for both sides in a legal hearing. The session will empower interpreters with the confidence to say “no” when necessary, ensuring they only perform duties within their professional scope.

Additionally, the webinar will emphasise the importance of interdisciplinary training, promoting clearer communication and a better understanding of mutual roles between interpreters and legal professionals. The regulatory frameworks governing solicitors (Solicitors Regulation Authority) and barristers (The Bar Standards Board) will also be discussed, offering insight into the complaint and regulation processes.

Quality is paramount in the translation industry, without it, a professional linguist’s reputation suffers immensely. With a growing demand for high quality translations in a short turn-around time, and with the ever-prevalent use of AI and other similar technologies in the translation industry, professional linguists must adapt to changing times. This includes, knowing how to produce high quality translations with a professional demeanour and great level of service in order to maintain their reputation and rapport with clients – but how? In this webinar you will learn from former QA Translations Editor for Publicis Groupe, Natasha Forgione, on all things quality assurance. You will discover the importance of quality assuring both source texts and translations, and learn how to handle negative feedback from clients/colleagues through effective and constructive communication.

Content design is an established discipline in the product development world. It focuses on delivering the right information, in the most effective way, to the intended audience. This approach is heavily rooted in User-Centred Design (UCD) practices and research-driven decision-making. Content designers are often members of design teams in IT companies building digital products as well as public services, such as the NHS or GOV.UK. The discipline of content design is relevant for translators who localise digital products. Although they typically work with content after it has taken its final form, understanding the principles of content design can significantly guide their work. The challenge here is that the linguistic decisions made by content designers often reflect many extralinguistic factors that translators may not be aware of (results of user testing, research, data, etc.).

The webinar will offer translators valuable insight into the context, purpose, and goals of the content design process. This knowledge will allow them to create translations that not only accurately convey the message, but also preserve the user experience crafted by content designers, based on user research and testing.

If you’ve ever faced the frustration of delayed or unpaid invoices, you’re not alone. Late payments and financial disputes are common struggles for freelancers, but are they the result of bad clients or inefficient processes?

This webinar will provide you with the knowledge to improve your chances of receiving payment on time, every time and outline the steps to take when chasing late payments and recovering money owed by clients.

Join lawyer-linguist Sue Leschen FCIL CL as she draws on 22 years of expertise to guide interpreters through the unique challenges of prison visits. From high-security prisons and mental health institutions to young offender facilities, this webinar sheds light on the complexities of working in these highly secure, often intense environments.

Discover practical tips for handling sensitive client interactions, navigating challenging working conditions, and preparing for visits with incarcerated individuals. Whether interpreting for prisoners serving life sentences, mentally ill patients, or young offenders, this session equips you with the tools to manage these situations with confidence and professionalism.