2021 Professional Development Days (PDD)

Day 1: Saturday 18 September 2021, from 10:00 to 15:00
Day 2:
Saturday 25 September 2021, from 13:00 to 17:15

With all-day networking available in the online networking platform Wonder.

2019 PDD Speakers

Come join us for our Professional Development Days, the biennial event in which SENSE members learn from (and with) other members. This year's programme is all about horizontal knowledge-sharing and learning from your peers throughout your career.

Topics include digital nomadism, the linguistics of wine, branding to money management, balancing multiple niches, collaborative translation, intercultural communication, the SENSE mentoring programme, and battling imposter’s syndrome.

We open with a plenary session called "Peer-to-peer knowledge-sharing" on day 1 and close with a plenary session called "CPD: Changing professional development" on day 2.  Choose up to nine out of 18 possible elective sessions that match your interests. And if none of the sessions interest you at any time, head on over a virtual watercooler to network with other members while you wait.

There are three panel discussions:

  • Intercultural business communication (Day 1, morning)
  • The SENSE mentoring programme (Day 1, afternoon)
  • Strategies to combat imposter's syndrome (Day 2, afternoon)

Six electives are available on both days:

  • How the language industry has changed over the past 20 (or so) years
  • The freedom of freelancing – deciding on a digital nomad journey
  • Spanish wine and translation: what could they possibly have in common?
  • How to be a specialised generalist
  • Money management: does your "boss" treat you well?
  • What gives you energy? And how do you earn a living doing that?

And nine other electives to choose from:

  • Recognising and working with inductive/deductive communication styles
  • How to increase your visibility and market your services
  • Working as collaborative translators in arts and culture
  • Maintaining language pairs
  • Personal branding: Lessons learnt through trial and (t)error
  • An ergonomic workspace: keep fit while you work
  • An editing slam
  • Keep track to keep up: organizing your workflow
  • (and a session yet to be confirmed by Christy de Back)

Of course, we haven’t forgotten about the social aspect. An unmoderated Wonder room will be available throughout the two days to allow for networking and mingling with old colleagues and new faces on the SENSE scene.  At the end of each day, we’ll have a moderated networking session.

Sign up

Tickets cost €25 for SENSE members and €40 for non-members. The ticket grants access to both days.

IMPORTANT: If you have not yet registered for this event, you can still register for Day 2 of the event. Please visit the registration page for Day 2 to register for the second day of this event.  If you have already registered for this event, your ticket is valid for both days. Members, remember to log in!

Are you not a SENSE member? Consider joining! You can find more information about joining SENSE here.


Click here for the programme.

Click here to register.