BME TFK AUTUMN CONFERENCE 2025
AI for T/I – Artificial Intelligence for Translation and Interpreting
Organised by the Centre for Modern Languages, BME (Budapest University of Technology and Economics) within the framework of EELISA
in cooperation with ZHAW (Zurich) and UPM (Madrid)
Date: 2–3 October 2025
Venue: BME, Building I – Budapest
About the Event
The two-day international conference on artificial intelligence, engineering and language mediation – was accessible in English both onsite at BME and online. You could discover the latest research and industry trends at the crossroads of technology and language mediation.
The programme included:
- Lectures by researchers, trainers and industry professionals
- Workshops on AI applications in language mediation
- Panel discussions with academics, industry stakeholders and students
- A student hackathon workshop on the necessity of humans in the loop
Invited keynote speakers:
- Michaela Albl-Mikasa ((formerly ZHAW)
- Franz Pöchhacker (UniVie)
- Balázs Kis (memoQ)
- Héder Mihály (BME, GTK)
- Grad-Gyenge Anikó (BME, GTK)
- Hegedűs Csaba (BME, VIK)
- Jánosy Márton (Edimart)
The event was organised with the support of EELISA.
👉 Programme booklet (with mini abstracts and bio-notes)
Teaching material (videos from the conference):
👉 Thursday 2 October: https://www.youtube.com/live/W4GiyGbg8uU
👉 Friday 3 October: https://www.youtube.com/live/PsA2xUWH4Jw
👉 CSABA HEGEDŰS – Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, BME
Fundamentals of Large Language Models
This talk provides a concise introduction to the fundamental concepts and terminology of Large Language Models. It will discuss core model parameters, the design of multimodal chat prompts, and methods of
prompt engineering, highlighting their relevance and applications in translation tasks.
Csaba HEGEDŰS is a researcher at BME-VIK’s Department of Artificial Intelligence and
Telecommunications, specializing in the application of large language models to industrial and
telecommunications challenges.
MÁRTON JÁNOSY – CEO, EDIMART
Where Packaged AI Tools Fall Short — and What We Built Instead
Most ready-made AI tools for localization overpromise and underdeliver: they rarely tap into the
full potential of the technology and often lag behind the pace of new model developments. Edimart
responded by building and integrating our own solutions. This session highlights the gaps we solved and how our custom AI tools now support our work from preparation through MT to QA.
Márton JÁNOSY: His path at Edimart took him from language engineering to business solutions
management, leading to his current role as CEO.
LEVENTE PÉTER NAGY – Reviser and Translation Technologist, MKIFK
ChatGPT as a Translation Engine and Translator Assistant (Workshop)
CAT tools have long shaped professional translation, but their rigid segment-by-segment design often
breaks text cohesion and forces translators into time-consuming corrections. This workshop introduces
a simple yet powerful alternative: a ChatGPT-based workflow that eliminates segment focus, enhances
consistency, and speeds up MTPE. Unlike complex chains of APIs and add-ons, the method requires
nothing more than a regular ChatGPT subscription, making it both cost-effective and accessible to
practicing translators. Participants will learn how to harness ChatGPT not only as a translation engine
but also as an intelligent assistant, understand the key differences between NMT and LLMs, and leave
equipped with practical techniques to deliver higher-quality translations with less effort.
Levente Péter, NAGY (Reviser and Translation Technologist, MKIFK Hungarian Gazette Publishing
and Legal Translation Centre Ltd.) graduated in English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics at
Berzsenyi Dániel College in 2005, followed by a degree in Translation and Interpreting with a focus on
Social Science and Economics at ELTE in 2009. After nearly eight years as a freelance translator and
reviewer, he has worked full-time at MKIFK since 2021. He is also a registered forensic linguist and, as a contractor, contributes to BME’s Centre for Modern Languages by evaluating and providing feedback on technical translation and terminology assignments.
BALÁZS KIS – Co-Founder, memoQ
Quo Vadis, Language Professions? Some Best-Case Scenarios
The talk outlines how the ongoing changes in the language professions (the „language industry”) can
result in a potential positive outcome. Outlines a best-case scenario in the area of language technologies, too. The talk is based on currently available knowledge and the newest trends. The talk will also tackle
what the stakeholders in the language professions — and in their wider environment — must do for
these positive outcomes to come true.
Balázs KIS, PhD is an engineer and a linguist, co-founder of memoQ. He first encountered neural AI in
1992. The topic keeps him (pre-)occupied ever since — and now that language AI became an integral
part of the language work, he rekindled this interest. He has been thinking and writing about the topic
again. He is also a founding member of the AI Localization Think Tank, an informal expert group exploring various paths in the ways of AI.
TRAINERS MEET PROFESSIONALS AI for T/I training – human in the loop (translation)
The panel brings together perspectives from language service providers and translator training institutions to explore the opportunities AI-driven solutions offer in the field of translation, the challenges they pose
for the industry, and above all, the changing role of human translators in the AI era.
Panellists:
Krisztián KIRÁLY is an experienced localization project manager and technology advocate, serving in
a senior leadership role at Hunnect, one of the largest privately owned language service providers in
Hungary. He specializes in streamlining workflows and implementing automation to optimize translation
and localization processes.
Anna MARTIN has been an in-house Hungarian translator at the Directorate General for Translation of
the European Commission for more than 10 years. Since 2023, she has been one of the two Language
Technology Coordinators (LTCs) within the Hungarian language community. As an LTC, Anna acts as a
technical first-responder and trainer in her unit, tests new language tools and informs colleagues about
the technical developments affecting theirdaily work.
Edina ROBIN, PhD, Associate Professor, is Director of the Institute of Language Mediation and Head of the Department of Translation and Interpreting, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary. She holds an MA in English Language and Literature, as well as a PhD in Translation Studies. At ELTE, she teaches translation skills, revision skills and Hungarian language and style. She is also a supervisor and the director of the Translation Studies Programme of the Doctoral School of Linguistics at Eötvös Loránd University.
She is a member of the editorial board of CTTL, Fordítástudomány, Alkalmazott Nyelvtudomány and
member of the advisory board of Across Languages and Cultures and Target Multilingual, all of which
are peer-reviewed, edited journals within the field of applied linguistics and translation studies. Her
main research interests include translation revision, post-editing, corpus-based translation studies and
translation universals.
Mattia TURRA, PhD is a research associate at the Institute of Multilingual Communication (IMK) of
the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW). As part of the professorship of Human-Machine
Communication, he contributes to various projects focusing on AI- and MT-assisted communication,
mainly in the domains of health care and asylum systems. Mattia also holds a diploma in software
engineering and is studying for his master’s degree in computational Linguistics at the University of
Zurich.
Pablo CALLEJA, PhD is a Permanent Professor at the Computer Science School at the Universidad
Politécnica de Madrid (UPM, Spain) and belongs to the Ontology Engineering Group (OEG) research group. His primary research area is focused on natural language processing for information extraction tasks in
multidisciplinary fields and across different languages. He received the Margarita Salas postdoctoral
requalification grant for young researchers, during which he spent a year at the Academic Book Research Group (ILIA) of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). Currently, his research is oriented in the
integration of knowledge graphs with Large Langue Models for different NLP tasks and domains.
Patricia MARTÍN-CHOZAS, PhD works as an Assistant Professor at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
(UPM, Spain) and is member of the Ontology Engineering Group at the same University. Her research has been oriented to the generation and representation of terminological resources by means of Semantic
Web technologies. She is currently involved in several research projects (INESData, TeresIA, Innovatrad), where she combines those research areas. Her next research steps are focused on the exploitation
of terminological resources published as Linked Data to improve the performance of Large Language
Models.
Moderator:
Rita BESZNYÁK, PhD is an Assistant Professor, and a translator and interpreter trainer at the Centre
for Modern Languages, BME. Her fields of research include the use of technology in interpreter and
translator training, digital language learning, as well as the applicability of computer-assisted text
analysis tools in teaching LSP and interpreting.
FRANZ PÖCHHACKER – Center for Translation Studies, UNIVIE
Automated Interpreting: The Challenge for Research
This talk will focus on the development and present state of automated interpreting, widely regarded
as a threat to the interpreting profession. Based on a brief review of technological milestones and a
thorough analysis of relevant concepts, it will outline a research program based on the identification of
use cases and a comprehensive approach to the comparative assessment of quality.
Franz PÖCHHACKER is Professor of Interpreting Studies in the Centre for Translation Studies at the
University of Vienna. With professional training and experience in conference interpreting, his interests
have expanded over the years to include issues of interpreting studies as a discipline, media interpreting, community interpreting in healthcare, social service and asylum settings and, more recently, technologyenabled forms of interpreting. He has lectured and published widely, his English books including The Interpreting Studies Reader (2002), Introducing Interpreting Studies (2004/32022) and the Routledge
Encyclopedia of Interpreting Studies (2015). He is co-editor, with Minhua Liu, of Interpreting: International Journal of Research and Practice in Interpreting.
MICHAELA ALBL-MIKASA – (formerly ZHAW)
AI Has Intelligence and Creativity, Humans Have Intuition. Insights From Interpreters, Translators
and Other Professional Experts
The talk will foreground intuition as setting humans apart from machines. What exactly is intuition, how
is it different from creativity which AI exhibits, how does it empower people and how can they leverage
intuition to surpass the machine? Moreover, how is this relevant to interpreters? By exploring these
questions – also from an intertraditional perspective -, an attempt is made to raise awareness of how we can put AI-powered tools in their rightful place.
Michaela ALBL-MIKASA, Professor of Interpreting Studies at ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland, retired in August 2025. She was a member of the Executive Council of the International
Association for Translation and Intercultural Studies (IATIS) from 2016 to 2021 and is currently a member of the Board of the European Network of Public Service Interpreting (ENPSIT). She was also a member of the Swiss Research Centre Barrier-free Communication and principal investigator of the interdisciplinary Sinergia project Cognitive Load in Interpreting and Translation (CLINT, 2018 – 2022), funded by the Swiss
National Science Foundation (SNSF). She is editor, together with Elisabet Tiselius, of the Routledge Handbook of Conference Interpreting.
HÉDER MIHÁLY – HoD, Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences, BME
Artificial Intelligence vs. Human Identity
An important pillar of the identity of many is their profession – more importantly the value, uniqueness
and relative irreplaceably professional skills provide. Our self-worth might be partially generated by our
trained skills; professional language skills are an excellent example of that. But, if AI undermines that
value proposition, what happens to their identity?
Mihály HÉDER, PhD graduated as a Software Engineer at Budapest University of Technology and
Economics in 2009. He defended his PhD thesis on the Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence in 2014. He
teaches Research Methodology, Science and Technology Studies, Engineering Ethics and Ethics of AI,
while still being active in a few international software development projects. His main aspiration is to
reveal the power of humanities for people with a STEM background.
MÁRTA FISCHER, KRISZTINA SZABÓ-HORVÁTH – Centre for Modern Languages, BME
Challenging The “AI Can Do It All” Myth: Building A BME Translation Bureau and In-House
Terminology Database” (Case Study)
It used to be widely believed that anyone who speaks a language can translate. Today, the new myth is that “AI can do it all.” This case study looks at how we have challenged both misconceptions by launching a coordinated, standardised approach to internal translation at BME, all within the unique context of a university. We will walk you through the expertise it takes, the types and volume of documents we handle, the tools that support us, and the challenges we still face. Through concrete examples, we highlight one of the biggest pitfalls of AI-assisted translation – terminology – and show why this is exactly
where human involvement proves not just helpful, but essential.
Márta FISCHER, PhD holds an MSc in Economics combined with a postgraduate degree in law (PTE), an MA in European Studies (College of Europe) and a PhD in Translation Studies (ELTE). After several years in central administration, she transitioned into academia. Her research focuses on EU multilingualism, translation, and terminology. Currently, she serves as director of the Centre of Modern Languages at BME, where – on her initiative – the Centre has stablished a professional approach to internal translation, including the development of a university-level terminology database.
Krisztina SZABÓ-HORVÁTH is a Translation Project Manager at the Centre for Modern Languages, BME, where she also teaches MemoQ within the translation training programme. She has more than a decade of experience in managing multilingual translation projects and leading teams in the translation industry. She holds a postgraduate degree in Translation and Interpreting, as well as a Master’s in English Language and Literature and in History, and she also studied at Charles University within the framework of Erasmus. Her work focuses on bridging academic knowledge and professional practice, with a particular interest in how CAT tools and AI are reshaping the translation landscape.
TRAINERS MEET PROFESSIONALS AI for T/I training – human in the loop (interpreting)
This panel discussion explores the evolving role of human interpreters in the age of AI and advanced
technology. Panellists will examine how interpreter training can adapt to digital tools and AI-assisted
workflows, while maintaining traditional skills and professional judgement. The discussion will also
address essential hard and soft skills for the modern interpreter, innovative approaches to curriculum
and assessment, and strategies for balancing technological competence with ethical and cultural
responsibilities. Participants will consider how professional associations and universities can prepare
interpreters for hybrid and fully remote environments, ensuring human expertise remains central in the
interpreting profession.
Panellists:
Michaela ALBL-MIKASA, Professor of Interpreting Studies at ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland, retired in August 2025. She was a member of the Executive Council of the International Association for Translation and Intercultural Studies (IATIS) from 2016 to 2021 and is currently a member of the Board of the European Network of Public Service Interpreting (ENPSIT). She was also a member of the Swiss Research Centre Barrier-free Communication and principal investigator of the interdisciplinary Sinergia project Cognitive Load in Interpreting and Translation (CLINT, 2018 – 2022), funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). She is editor, together with Elisabet Tiselius, of the Routledge Handbook of Conference Interpreting.
Anne Catherine GIESHOFF, PhD is a Research Associate at ZHAW Institute of Applied Linguistics, completed her doctoral studies in translation studies at the University of Mainz and is currently heading the professorship for interpreting studies at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW).
Franz PÖCHHACKER is Professor of Interpreting Studies in the Center for Translation Studies at the University of Vienna. With professional training and experience in conference interpreting, his interests have expanded over the years to include issues of interpreting studies as discipline, media interpreting, community interpreting in healthcare, social service and asylum settings and, more recently, technology-enabled forms of interpreting. He has lectured and published widely, his English books including The Interpreting Studies Reader (2002), Introducing Interpreting Studies (2004/32022) and the Routledge Encyclopedia of Interpreting Studies (2015). He is co-editor, with Minhua Liu, of Interpreting: International Journal of Research and Practice in Interpreting.
Márta SERESI, PhD is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Translation and Interpreting at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest. She serves as the course leader of the European Masters in Conference Interpreting (EMCI) postgraduate programme at the university. Her primary research interests include interpreter training and remote interpreting. In addition, she is an accredited freelance conference interpreter for the European institutions.
Veronika VASPÁL is a Hungarian freelance interpreter and translator based in Budapest. Her B languages are English and Portuguese. She holds the post-graduate degree of European Masters in Conference Interpreting (EMCI) from Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest (2019). She had gained her MA degree in Hungarian Language and Literature and History (2009). She was teaching Hungarian for foreigners for more than a decade. She has been active at various cultural and environmental NGOs. This year, she was elected as President of the Hungarian Association of Translators and Interpreters (MFTE).
Moderator:
Csilla SZABÓ, PhD is an Associate Professor who holds a BA in History and a BA in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) from Berzsenyi College, Szombathely, as well as an MA in Applied Linguistics from the University of Durham (UK) and a PhD in Applied Linguistics from the University of Pécs. She also earned qualifications in translation and conference interpreting at ELTE (1998, 2001) and continues to work as a freelance translator and interpreter. Since 2016, she has served as Programme Director for interpreter and translator training at the Centre for Modern Languages, BME. Her research interests include interpreting – with a particular focus on note-taking – and translation pedagogy.
