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AVIDICUS 2 (2011-13)

Aims and outcomes

The findings of AVIDICUS 1 suggested that further research was required to investigate how the combination of technological mediation through videoconference technology and linguistic-cultural mediation through an interpreter affects the specific goals of legal communication and to elicit adaptive strategies to mitigate such effects. Moreover, the need to inform EU citizens about how they can benefit from video-mediated interpreting, when appropriately used, has been neglected but can now be met using the European e-Justice portal.

In accordance with this the AVIDICUS 2 project aimed to:

  1. Disseminate current and emerging knowledge about the uses of video-mediated interpreting (VMI) in criminal proceedings to national authorities, legal practitioners, interpreters and European citizens;
  2. Improve current insights into these forms of interpreting and identify best practice through research into the behavioural and communicative aspects of VMI in criminal proceedings;
  3. Improve training opportunities for legal practitioners and interpreters in the use of VMI.

The project produced the following key deliverables:

  1. A series of European workshops to provide initial training in VMI for approx. 300 legal practitioners and interpreters;
  2. A set of empirical findings on behavioural/communicative aspects of VMI;
  3. A set of revised recommendations and guidelines on the uses, benefits and challenges of VMI in criminal proceedings, addressing especially national authorities in all EU member states;
  4. An advanced module for the joint training of legal practitioners and interpreters in VMI;
  5. Three ‘mini guides‘ on VMI in criminal proceedings for (a) legal practitioners, (b) interpreters and (c) European citizens, designed to be integrated in the European e-Justice portal;
  6. A final symposium and publication to disseminate the results of the project.

Please go to the Resources section of this website to see all resources developed in the AVIDICUS projects since 2008.

Partners

AVIDICUS 2 was a co-operative project involving partners in several European countries and external experts with complementary expertise in videoconference technology, videoconference communication, legal interpreting, video-mediated interpreting and academic/professional training.

Co-ordinator:
University of Surrey (GB)

Partners:
Lessius Hogeschool Antwerp (BE)
Institut Télécom (FR)
Ministry of Justice (NL)
Legal Aid Board (NL)

Internal Evaluator:
Ann Corsellis