The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology
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34 The Linguist Vol/55 No/5 2016 www.ciol.org.uk INSTITUTE MATTERS Chris Bissell Chris Bissell studied Natural Sciences and Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at Cambridge. His career has been largely as an academic at the UK Open University, and he will soon retire from its School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. He has retained his interest in Celtic languages, particularly in the context of recent developments in ICT. See p.24 Yvonne Fowler A trainer of public service interpreters for 20 years, Dr Yvonne Fowler is now a Research Associate at Aston University's Centre for Forensic Linguistics. Her research has focused on court interpreting. See p.8 Jaquelina Guardamagna Founder of Translator in London, Jaquelina Guardamagna MCIL IAPTI CL is a freelance English-Spanish Translator and Language Teacher who specialises in certified translations, marketing, media and education. She is a member of The Linguist Editorial Board and of a training provider for translators. See p.16 Frances Mechan-Schmidt Frances Mechan-Schmidt MCIL is a freelance translator and journalist. Having completed the German State Examination as a translator for English and German, she is now an examiner for the qualification. See p.14 Li Wei Li Wei is Chair of Applied Linguistics and Director of the UCL Centre for Applied Linguistics at the Institute of Education, University College London. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, and Principal Editor of The International Journal of Bilingualism and Applied Linguistics Review. See p.20 Jocelyn Wyburd Jocelyn Wyburd is Director of the Language Centre at the University of Cambridge. She chairs the University Council of Modern Languages (UCML) and the Advisory Board for the national Routes into Languages programme of collaborative university-school outreach activities. See p.11 CONTRIBUTORS Taking the lead , Karen Stokes discusses her wide-reaching responsibilities as Chair of Council, since being elected to the role in April 2016 My primary role as Chair is to provide leadership of Council. As CIOL's governing body, Council is responsible for setting the organisation's future direction through the annual strategic planning process, monitoring the implementation of the strategic plan, providing financial scrutiny and ensuring compliance with our responsibilities under company law. In practical terms, leading Council means preparing for and running four meetings a year, plus the strategic planning day. Perhaps more importantly, it is about ensuring that Council members are well equipped for the role, that we have open and well- informed discussions that take a range of views into consideration, and that decision-making is effective, inclusive and transparent. Under our current governance structure, the Chair of Council also chairs the Finance and Executive Committee (F&E) – a joint committee of Council, the IoLET Board and senior staff. F&E meets five times a year. It is concerned with the implementation of policy through the management of the Institute, and acts as an advisory committee to the executive team. The Chair also sits, ex officio, on the IoLET Board, the Editorial Board of The Linguist and the Comms Group (an internal group chaired by our Communications and Marketing Manager), and needs to be fully up to speed on current issues and developments in other Council committees. Aside from the formal committee roles and responsibilities, I work closely on a day-to-day basis with members of the senior management team, following up on the implementation of the strategic decisions made by Council in relation to membership, Chartered Linguist registration, governance and similar matters. Keeping in touch with members is another important aspect of the job, both in writing (through the Chair's Notes and Council News columns in The Linguist) and face-to-face. Opportunities to meet members in person and update them on recent developments come through events such as our annual Members' Day, this year's standalone Threlford Lecture and the AGM, as well as division and society meetings throughout the year. Lastly, the role entails staying abreast of developments that affect our members, representing CIOL externally and building strategic relationships with other organisations, in both the languages sector and the wider world. GLOBAL LINKS Karen (3rd left) with Institute colleagues and delegates from China