PDD 2021

From 18 September 2021 10:00 CEST until 18 September 2021 15:00 CEST
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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.


2021 Professional Development Days

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

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.

If you have already registered for this event, your ticket is valid for both days.  If you haven't registered yet, you will need to register for Day 2 of the event. Please visit the registration page for Day 2 to register for the second day of this event.  

Members, remember to log in!

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


PDD Day 1: Saturday 18 September 10:00–15:00

10:00–10:15 Welcome and announcements
10:15–11:00 Peer-to-peer knowledge-sharing
Martina Abagnale, Anne Oosthuizen, and Danielle N. Carter
11:00–11:10 Break
11:10–11:40

Intercultural business communication
Nandini Bedi, Kenneth Quek, Wendy Baldwin
(panel discussion, part 1)

How the language industry has changed over the past 20 (or so) years
John Linnegar
How to increase your visibility and market your services (blogging as marketing)
Claire Bacon
11:40–11:50 Break
11:50–12:20 Intercultural business communication
(panel discussion, part 2)
The freedom of freelancing: deciding on a digital nomad journey
Maaike Leenders
Spanish wine and translation: What could they possibly have in common?
Rebecca Reddin
12:20-12:30 Break
12:30–13:00 On being a specialized generalist
Jasper Pauwels
Money management: why you should pay yourself a salary
Martina Abagnale
Personal branding: Lessons learnt through trial and (t)error
Anne Oosthuizen
13:00–13:40 Tea break & networking on Wonder
13:40–14:10 What the SENSE Mentoring programme can do for you
Nandini Bedi, Kate Sotejeff-Wilson, Jackie Senior, Jenny Zonneveld and Martina Abagnale
(panel discussion, part 1)
Working as collaborative translators in arts and culture
Danielle N. Carter

Keep track to keep up: organizing your workflow
Ashley Cowles

14:10–14:20 Break
14:20–14:50 Mentorship
(panel discussion, part 2)
Editing slam!
Daphne Visser-Lees and Curtis Barrett

Prompt! Investing in creativity...
Lizzie Kean and Carola Janssen

14:50–15:00 Closure, thanks, and announcements
15:00–16:30 Virtual afternoon tea and networking

PDD Day 2: Saturday 25 September 13:00–17:15

13:00–13:10 Welcome and announcements
13:10–13:40 Positive strategies to combat imposter's syndrome
John Linnegar, Naomi Gilchrist, Betsy Hedberg
(panel discussion, part 1)
An ergonomic workspace: keep fit while you work
Jenny Zonneveld
Prompt! Investing in creativity...
Lizzie Kean and Carola Janssen
13:40–13:50 Break
13:50–14:20 Positive strategies to combat imposter's syndrome
(panel discussion, part 2)
Money management: why you should pay yourself a salary
Martina Abagnale
The freedom of freelancing: deciding on a digital nomad journey
Maaike Leenders
14:20–14:30 Break
14:30–15:00 Spanish wine and translation: What could they possibly have in common?
Rebecca Reddin
Networking on Wonder

De Back to Basics: Customer Service for Language Professionals
Christy de Back
15:00–15:40 Tea break & networking
15:40–16:10 Recognising and working with inductive/deductive communication styles
Nandini Bedi
How the language industry has changed over the past 20 (or so) years
John Linnegar
Language skills in global times (maintaining language pairs)
Ellen Singer
16:10–16:20 Break
16:20–16:50 CPD: Changing professional development
with Lloyd Bingham
16:50–17:00 Closure, thanks, and announcements
17:15–19:00 Virtual borrel and networking