Convergence 2026: Human-AI Integration for Multilingual and Accessible Communication
Guildford, UK, 17 – 19 June 2026
Second call for papers
https://www.surrey.ac.uk/centre-translation-studies/convergence-2026
The conference
Building on the success of the first Convergence conference in 2023, which explored the responsible and intelligent integration of human and machine capabilities in translation and interpreting, the Centre for Translation Studies at University of Surrey, UK, is proud to announce Convergence 2026: Human-AI Integration for Multilingual and Accessible Communication. The second edition of the Convergence conference will create an opportunity to bring together innovative research on the evolving landscape of AI in the context of multilingual and accessible communication, reflecting on the complexity and effects of using AI-driven technologies in these fields. The conference will foster a multidisciplinary dialogue that will generate new theoretical perspectives and practical research, focusing on themes such as the ethical aspects of AI in translation and interpreting, AI-enabled digital accessibility and societal inclusion, and the impact of Generative AI on language mediation. We will also examine the evolving role of language professionals, the power of Large Language Models (LLMs) in supporting multilingual communication, and the crucial need for responsible use of language AI in the public sector. The conference will publish full papers in open access proceedings with assigned ISBN and DOI.
The conference will be preceded by a Summer school on Artificial Intelligence for Accessible Communication between 15th and 17th June 2026. More details about the summer school will be added to the website soon.
Conference themes
Theme 1: Ethical aspects of AI in translation and interpreting
Theme 2: AI-enabled digital accessibility and societal inclusion
Theme 3: Which creative turn? Language mediation in the era of GenAI
Theme 4: The evolving role of language professionals in the era of AI
Theme 5: LLMs supporting multilingual communication
Theme 6: Responsible use of language AI in the public sector
Full description of the themes is available on the conference website: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/centre-translation-studies/convergence-2026#themes
Submissions and publications
Convergence 2026 invites the following types of submissions on one of the conference themes:
- Long papers – describing original completed research. Allowed paper length: maximum 8 pages + unlimited number of pages for references and appendices
- Short papers – describing work in progress. Allowed paper length: maximum 4 pages + unlimited number of pages for references and appendices
The conference aims to be a platform for in-depth discussion of prevalent themes while also offering contributors the opportunity for swift publication of their work. The event will provide the wide community of Translation and Interpreting Studies and the disciplines it intersects with, a space for networking, collective brainstorming and looking into the future of communication, all sustained by a robust set of papers published in the conference proceedings. Both long and short papers can be associated with rigorous empirical work or conceptual approaches to the themes of the conference. PhD students are also invited to submit papers regardless of the stage of their PhD journey. If accepted, their papers may be selected to any of the sessions of the conference, including a dynamic poster session, in which students may receive feedback and consider new developments for their work.
Each submission will be reviewed by three members of the Programme Committee. The conference will not consider and evaluate abstracts only. Full details about paper submission are available on the conference website at https://www.surrey.ac.uk/centre-translation-studies/convergence-2026#submission
Invited speakers
- Horacio Saggion, Chair in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence and Head of the TALN Group and Large Scale Text Understanding Systems Lab at the Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
- John Anthony O'Shea, LL.B, LL.M, Founder of Jurtrans, Chairperson of FIT-Europe, member of EU's Language Industry Expert Group
Important dates
- 23rd Feb 2026: Registration of intention to submit a paper (optional)
- 2nd March 2026: Submissions of full papers
- 6th April 2026: Notification of acceptance
- 22nd May 2026: Camera ready papers for the draft proceedings
- 15th - 17th June 2026: Summer school on Artificial Intelligence for Accessible Communication
- 17th - 19th June 2026: The Convergence conference
- 1st Sept 2026: Camera ready papers for final proceedings
Venue
The conference will take place in Guildford at University of Surrey. If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact us on [email protected]
Conference organisers
Conference chair: Prof Sabine Braun
Programme chairs: Prof Constantin Orasan and Dr Diana Singureanu
Proceedings chairs: Dr Felix do Carmo and Prof Constantin Orasan
Summer school chairs: Dr Elena Davitti and Prof Sabine Braun
Sponsorship chairs: Sara Palmer and Aimee Savage
Local organisers: Aimee Savage and Dr Yuan Zou
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Prof Constantin Orăsan
Professor of Language and Translation Technologies
Centre
for
Translation Studies,
University of Surrey, UK
Personal page: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/people/constantin-orasan
