Our team was busy over the month of November – officially conference & event season for us at NAATI! Here’s an overview of what we’ve been up to, plus a few snaps.
In addition to the major events below, we also celebrated the 30th anniversary of CITAA (Chinese Interpreters & Translators Association of Australia) in Melbourne, showcased at the SA Deaf Festival in Adelaide and our CEO presented as part of a Polaron’s discussion on Multicultural Framework Review progress in Sydney.
5th Saudi International Translation Forum
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 6-8 November 2025
We wrapped up our time at the forum in the November NAATI News.
National Multicultural Health and Wellbeing Conference
Melbourne, 11-12 November 2025
The conference, with the theme of «Shaping Tomorrow Together», explored how linguistic and cultural barriers compound health inequities for Australian communities, with dedicated sessions examining culturally safe service provision, effective health communication strategies, and the critical role of professional interpreting and translation services in clinical settings. Lee Yacoumis, Strategic Engagement Manager, presented as part of a panel about why certified interpreters matter in the health sector and about NAATI’s upcoming national awareness campaign in 17 languages.
National Settlement Conference
Sunshine Coast, 19-21 November 2025
The conference explored fundamental barriers to belonging and successful settlement across its theme of «We share a dream», with language access emerging as a key consideration across multiple themes including navigating service systems, employment pathways, and civic participation. Lee Yacoumis, Strategic Engagement Manager, presented as part of a panel that addressed critical communication challenges facing migrant and refugee communities through its session «Health – Can You Understand Me?» which examined how communication shapes health outcomes.
AUSIT National Conference
Canberra, 21-22 November 2025
We had an incredible time at the AUSIT National Conference, with 14 representatives from NAATI attending. The conference featured a comprehensive program of keynotes, workshops, presentations, and roundtables that examined how translators and interpreters can strengthen their relationships with key stakeholders across government, industry, and multicultural communities.
A big thank you to AUSIT for hosting this incredible event and to all participants who engaged with us.
Five NAATI representatives were happy to take to the stage and discuss a wide range of initiatives with the attendees:
- Aurélie Sheehan, Manager, Certification Policy & Development provided insights into NAATI’s Position Statement on the Use of AI for Translation and Interpreting Purposes, and the work NAATI is doing to support practitioners to respond and adapt to technological changes.
- Leigh Cox, Manager, Sector Development updated on the development of an LSP endorsement model, which is due to be implemented progressively from January 2026.
- Fatih Karakas, Project Manager (Supporting the Profession) (in collaboration with Multicultural NSW) discussed NAATI’s CPI test preparation program and how it supports interpreters with gaining their certification
- Michael Nemarich, Chief Operating Officer launched the new professional development catalogue for certified practitioners. The new recertification process will be implemented from early 2026.
- Magdalena Rowan, Chair of the NAATI Board talked about NAATI’s engagement and investment strategy to support the industry, including the upcoming national consumer awareness campaign in 17 languages about certified interpreters in the health sector.
Second International Conference on Legal and Healthcare Interpreting
Tokyo, Japan, 28-30 November 2025
Vicky Wong, Certification Development Manager, presented about the 3 D’s of NAATI’s Certified Specialist Health and Legal Interpreter tests: Design, Development and Delivery. She covered the methodology, test format, components and delivery. NAATI’s unique position as the only universal certification system for translators and interpreters across so many languages and credential types was highlighted by participants at the conference.
