Translation Technology Helps Welsh Industry
Wyn Thomas, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Delyth Prys, Canolfan Bedwyr, Minister Alun Ffred Jones and Prof Andy Rothwell, Swansea UniversityTranslation technology can help industry in Wales reach new markets and at the same time help sustain and develop Wales’ own bilingual communities.
A joint conference between Swansea and Bangor Universities, to be held at Bangor University on 14 January 2011, will showcase the latest developments in the field of speech and language technologies.
Delyth Prys, the head of the Language Technologies Unit at Bangor University’s Canolfan Bedwyr who will host the conference said:
“We’ve been working with a number of small to medium sized enterprises in Wales who are very keen to learn how better use of technology can help them translate better, faster and cheaper. This event showcases a number of our flagship projects.
“For this conference we’ve brought together a number of key resources in a suite of programmes which we’re giving away free on pen drives. The idea is that delegates can try out the technology for themselves and see how much time and money it can save them.
“We’re also delighted to be able to show so many student projects at the conference. Both Bangor and Swansea universities have MA translation courses which are strong on technology, and we have many industry-sponsored scholarships to strengthen cooperation between academia and industry.”
The conference will be opened by the Minister for Heritage, Alun Ffred Jones, who said:
Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones AM addressing the Conference“This is a win-win situation for Wales. We are developing expertise in the translation industry, first of all to service the needs of a bilingual Wales, but we are also seeing the benefit in new research and software activities where the effects are much wider. Much of this work has been funded by the European Regional Development Fund, and we are delighted that the Department for Heritage and the Department for the Economy both have a role to play, as does the Department for Education, in training the next generation of researchers and practitioners .”
Alun Ffred Jones will be welcomed to Bangor University by Wyn Thomas, the newly appointed deputy vice-chancellor in charge of the Welsh Language and Civic Engagement at Bangor University. Wyn Thomas said “Research and knowledge exchange with industry are very important to our university. We are very proud of the contribution of the Language Technologies Unit at Canolfan Bedwyr to the university’s research profile and its role in helping support bilingual communities and the Welsh economy. We’re also glad to see so many good employment prospects for the students on our translation and other post-graduate courses. Good bilingual skills and an understanding of bilingual technology are putting them ahead in the employment stakes. This conference is an excellent opportunity to bring researchers, students and businesses in the field of Translation Technology together to the benefit of all.”
Publication date: 14 January 2011