Simultaneous Translation

At Meetings

Because of the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Translation Unit now provides simultaneous translation for Bangor University's internal needs through Zoom.As it is not possible to provide simultaneous translation on Teams, IT Service has given the Translation Unit special permission, and technical support, to use a Zoom account in order to be able to continue to provide a simultaneous translation service.

In the Academic Context

The Translation Unit also provides a simultaneous translation service for student presentations. This service is also offered through Zoom. If you have a mixed class of Welsh medium and English medium students, you can ask the Translation Unit to provide a translation ofthe student’s presentations into English.

Once your request for simultaneous translation at a meeting, or in the academic context, has been accepted, the Translation Unit's Amin Officer will schedule the Zoom meeting and send you the details to forward to all the other attendees. You must ensure that all attendees download the Zoom app to a computer as the simultaneous translation feature is not available on the web version and does not work on smart phones.

Before booking, read the Booking Guidelines and the Zoom Guidelines below carefully, as well as the Zoom Instructions Leaflet which should be sent to everyone attending your meeting, then fill out the Booking Form.

For more information, please contact translation@bangor.ac.uk

Guidelines for Booking the Simultaneous Translation Service

Here are some guidelines for booking a simultaneous translator for a meeting/event:
1. Please include all the relevant details when you book the service:
i. date
ii. time
iii. type of event/meeting
iv. any relevant papers
If any of these details change, you must inform the Translation Unit as soon as possible.

2. Bookings should be made at least 10 working days before the date of the event/meeting. As a rule, we cannot provide simultaneous translation at evenings and weekends because of the high demand for our services during normal working hours. For academic conferences, you must contact the Translation Unit at least two months before the event. Conference organizers are welcome to get in touch before then if they need advice on the necessary practical arrangements for simultaneous translation. However, it will not be possible to confirm the availability of the service for the event until the Translation Unit has been given a copy of the programme with full details of the simultaneous translation requirements.

3. Please send all relevant papers to the Translation Unit's Admin Officer at least 3 working days in advance so that the translator can prepare for the meeting/event. This is important in all cases, but it is crucial for presentations, interviews, research seminars and conferences. Ppresentations or papers for academic conferences must be sent at least 5 working days before the conference.

4. For interviews and presentations, please check that the candidate/speaker intends to speak in Welsh. If there is more than one candidate/speaker, please try to ensure that those intending to speak in Welsh are grouped together on the timetable in order to make the best use of the translator’s time, but please bear in mind that simultaneous translators should not translate for more than 30 minutes at a time without a break of at least 5 minutes.

5. The Translation Unit cannot provide simultaneous translation for parallel sessions at the same event, due to other demands on the service.
Please use the online form to book the service.

For more information, please contact the Translation Unit's Admin Officer.

Guidelines on Using the Simultaneous Translation Feature in Zoom

You must ensure that all attendees download the Zoom app to a computer as the simultaneous translation feature is not available on the web version and does not work on smart phones.

If you would like to meet with the translation team on Zoom to familiarize yourself with the translation feature at some point prior to your meeting, we would be happy to arrange this with you.

Steps to follow when using the simultaneous translation feature on Zoom

1. The Translation Unit's Admin Officer will schedule the meeting on Zoom and send you instructions on how to use the simultaneous translation feature in Zoom, the link and the password to join the meeting;

2. You should send the instructions, the link to the meeting and the password to all attendees, telling them that they must download the Zoom app to a computer before joining the meeting;

3. Two translators and the Admin Officer from the Translation Unit will be present at the meeting. The Admin Officer will act as the 'host' at the start of the meeting and will switch on the simultaneous translation feature.

4. One of the translators will give brief instructions on using the simultaneous translation feature;

5. The Admin Officer will switch on the simultaneous translation feature and ensure that everyone who needs translation can hear the translator;

6. The administrator will transfer the 'host' function to someone else at the meeting (who this is should be decided in advance) and leave the meeting, and the formal meeting can begin.

Zoom Instructions Leaflet