Chartered Institute
of Linguists
NEWS & VOICES
In March we celebrate International Women's Day and Women's History Month. CIOL Council Member Rasha Alajouz writes on the 2026 themes of 'give to gain' and 'creating a sustainable future', drawing on a coaching mindset and her experiences of mentoring, entrepreneurship and running a business with-and-for-women, all of which led her to write her inspirational book: '...
By Clare Lee
There are perhaps no two families of languages which are more useful than the English and Chinese languages. Here Clare Lee tells about the rich and varied career options she was able to pursue with English, Cantonese and Putonghua.
Careers in retail merchandising, IT consulting and translation do not quite seem to be...
By Sydnee Cooper
This article was originally published by MultiLingual Media on 14 February 2026.
Most of the world’s language work today happens in conditions defined by scarcity, such as scarce data, tooling, or professional capacity. While this is often framed as a technological challenge, it also reflects something deeper about the value of...
Every October, when the Nobel Prize in Literature is announced, a familiar anticipation rises across the world. You can feel it in classrooms, in newsrooms, in libraries, and, perhaps most poignantly, in the quiet curiosity of ordinary readers who love good books. The moment is charged not only with speculation about who will win, but with a deeper question: What kind of...
By Mabel Fan
The Interpreting code of conduct requires us to be professional, this is understood to mean complete impartiality, neutrality and accuracy. The foundational ethical principle requires interpreters to act as impartial, objective conduits of meaning, free from personal bias, opinions or cultural prejudice. These qualities are essential, but they are...
When Language Awareness Becomes Leadership Awareness
By Shehzaad Shams
International Mother Language Day (21 February) is often approached as a celebration – a moment to honour heritage languages, cultural roots and multilingual identities. That celebration matters. But in the UK today, this day also signals something more urgent: a need to...
By Dr Eyhab Abdulrazak Bader Eddin
Why recognition of high quality spoken English matters for Chinese Professionals: A conversation with CIOL Head of Membership Dom Hebblethwaite and Professor Saihong Li.
China’s global influence continues to expand. From international trade and technology partnerships to academic research and cultural exchange, Chinese professionals are working across borders...