Call for Papers

16-18 April 2027, Berlin, Germany

We invite you to contribute to the efsli Conference in Berlin 2027 by submitting a paper or poster presentation.

This is an opportunity to share your work, research, and experiences with colleagues from across Europe and beyond. Whether you are a practitioner, researcher, trainer, or student, we encourage you to take part and bring your perspective to the programme.

Organisers

Call for Papers

Submit your abstract here. Please read the criteria for “Repositioning the Profession: Visibility, Responsibility, and Trust in Sign Language Interpreting and Translation” and review the suggested topics below.

Any paper will be delivered at the conference as a plenary presentation for 40 minutes (30 minutes presentation and 10 minutes question and answer).

Submissions will be evaluated based on relevance, significance, quality, originality, and clarity. All abstracts will be reviewed by the Scientific Committee (SC).

Submit your abstract

Abstracts should be submitted in German or English via the form (max. 350 words), or in German Sign Language (DGS) or International Sign (IS) as a video (max. 3 minutes) uploaded in the form.

Submission deadline: 30 September 2026

Deadlines

15 October 2026

Official notification of the acceptance of proposals

31 October 2026

Selected speakers confirm their participation

(To complete the process, speakers must register by 31 January 2027, at the early bird rate.)

28 February 2027

Submit presentation materials

(Powerpoint in written English and materials for interpreters in English or International Sign)

30 June 2027

Submit full papers in English for the conference proceedings

Call for Posters

Submit your poster here. Please read the criteria for “Repositioning the Profession: Visibility, Responsibility, and Trust in Sign Language Interpreting and Translation” and review the suggested topics below.

If your abstract submitted to the Call for Papers is not selected, you may be offered the opportunity to present it as a poster instead.

Submissions will be evaluated based on relevance, significance, quality, originality, and clarity. All abstracts will be reviewed by the Scientific Committee (SC).

Submit your abstract

Proposals should be submitted in German or English via the form (max. 350 words), or in German Sign Language (DGS) or International Sign (IS) as a video (max. 3 minutes) uploaded in the form.

Submission deadline: 31 January 2027

“Repositioning the Profession: Visibility, Responsibility,
and Trust in Sign Language Interpreting and Translation”

The Scientific Committee invites submissions of papers addressing the role of sign language translators and interpreters, their visibility, responsibility, and trust in the context of repositioning the profession of sign language interpreters across Europe.

Across Europe, sign language interpreting and translation are undergoing profound changes. Increasing public visibility, shifting community expectations, and complex communication contexts call for a renewed reflection on professional identity, ethical responsibility, and institutional structures. This conference brings together three interconnected dimensions of professional development: (1) the impact of public visibility on professional identity and role boundaries, (2) the challenges of interpreting in contexts marked by language deprivation and structural inequality, and (3) the institutional foundations of trust between Deaf communities and interpreters. By linking discourse, practice, and professional self-governance, the conference aims to move beyond isolated debates and create a coherent framework for sustainable professionalization. It invites participants to critically examine how visibility, responsibility, and trust can be strategically aligned within educational, standards, and regulatory systems across various European contexts.

Suggested Topics

Suggested topics include (but are not limited to):

• Research and practical experience in sign language translation and interpreting;
• Linguistic and cultural mediation in interpreting situations;
• Handling challenging or complex interpreting situations;
• Intercultural competence and multilingual realities;
• Ethical considerations: challenges, dilemmas, and decision-making processes and models;
• The role of universities and training institutions in shaping interpreter training;
• Collaboration between deaf and hearing interpreters;
• Professional development and lifelong learning;
• Mentoring and training models;
• Recognition of informal and community-based learning;
• Quality assessment and professional standards for sign language interpreters and translators;

By bringing together various stakeholder groups, the conference aims not only to serve as a forum for discussion but also to provide concrete ideas for everyday professional practice, thereby contributing to greater quality, fairness, and trust in the interpreting profession throughout Europe. Interactive and participatory formats are expressly encouraged to foster collaborative exchange.

Conference languages

Conference languages will be German (DE), German Sign Language (DGS), English (EN) and International Sign (IS).

All presenters who wish to use a different spoken or signed language from those listed above, are kindly advised to bring their own interpreters. Please let us know and we will put you in touch with the Interpreters’ Coordinator, so that they will receive preparation material. Should you have any further queries on abstract submissions, please contact Karolien Gebruers and Sandra Schügerl, Head of the Scientific Committee, at sc.berlin@efsli.org

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Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the EACEA can be held responsible for them.

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