In April 2024, a group of English Studies students, together with their lecturer Matthew Riemland, Ph.D. / Assistant Professor from SWPS University’s Faculty of Humanities in Warsaw, had a wonderful opportunity to travel to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in Spain. Thanks to the European Reform University Alliance’s (ERUA) Innovative Teaching Initiatives program, they participated in a week-long series of educational workshops and activities focusing on various ethical dimensions of AI language technologies. These sessions also involved students from the host University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), who were excited to meet and mingle with their peers from Poland.
Translation in the age of AI
The main theme of the travelling seminar was "Multilingual communication in the age of AI: Exploring ethical issues and future directions in language professions". Over the course of the week students and lecturers discussed how AI language technologies such as ChatGPT work, how they might be unjustly exploiting users’ data, and how professions like translation and teaching might evolve in response to these technological developments.
Lecture by Matthew Riemland at ULPGC.
Students from USWPS and ULPGC working together.
Students from USWPS and ULPGC mingling.
Logo of ULPGC.
The art of interpreting
One of the highlights of the week was a demonstration of interpreting skills, performed by ULPGC’s MA students, arranged by the host, Professor Heather Adams. The University of Las Palmas has an interpreting lab, where students have access to booths and equipment for practicing simultaneous interpreting. During the session, Dr. Riemland led an interactive discussion in English on the manner in which AI language technologies are impacting language-based professions, while Professor Adams’ students practiced simultaneous interpreting form English to Spanish. At one point, another ULPGC interpreting instructor started giving a short speech in Spanish, while the student interpreters sat behind the USWPS group, and simultaneously whispered the English translation into the ears of the visitors from Poland. It was all very impressive! Afterwards, everyone combined gathered in the courtyard to chat and get to know each other better.
The trip was truly an unforgettable experience. Not only did we get to explore critical topics with our peers at ULPGC, but we also had the chance to explore our surroundings and experience the local culture. Gran Canaria is quite exotic in comparison to Warsaw, and we were fortunate to have some really incredible hosts in the ULPGC faculty and students. In fact, we formed such a strong connection with our Canarian counterparts that we are planning to host Professor Adams and her interpreting students here at SWPS University in late May! We are extremely grateful to the ERUA network, the ULPGC faculty and students, as well as SWPS University’s own Office of International Cooperation for making this amazing opportunity possible – I am very much looking forward to building upon this blossoming international partnership.
Riemland, Matthew
First and last name
Matthew Riemland
Academic degree or title
Ph.D. / Assistant Professor
Email
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Institute
Institute of Humanities
Role in the Faculty
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Role in the Department
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Role in the Institute
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Specialization
linguist, translator
Role in the Research Center
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Ph.D. / Assistant Professor Matthew Riemlandlinguist, translator
During the final two days of the seminar, visitors from USWPS attended the TRADICAN conference hosted by ULPGC. This conference involved speakers from both academia and industry presenting timely materials pertaining to translation and interpreting. As part of the conference, Dr. Matthew Riemland gave a prestation on the environmental harms caused by the energy- and other resource-intensive infrastructures needed to operate AI technologies.
Students from USWPS and ULPGC in an interpreting lab.
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
Beach at Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Beach at Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Trip Organizer and Supervisor
Matthew Riemland
Ph.D. / Assistant Profesor, Faculty of Humanities in Warsaw, SWPS University
He holds a doctoral degree from Dublin City University’s (Ireland) School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies, an M.Phil. in Literary Translation from Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), and a B.A. in German and Philosophy from the University of Michigan (United States). His research broadly interrogates the ways in which power shapes the intersections of language, land, and labor. Read more
ERUA Member Universities
Funding