Emerging translators

With our focus on emerging translators, Translation House Looren provides programmes tailor-made to support early-career translators. In cooperation with Swiss universities, we host short translator dialogues enabling an insight into the world of literary translation for interested students. We organize one-day or two-day translation workshops for the universities of Basel and Zürich, during which advanced students gain first practical experiences of literary translation. Twice a year, we hold a short workshop entitled From Project to Contract, informing participants about collaboration between editors and translations, and the workings of publishing. We offer mentorships for emerging translators looking for support from professional mentors for their own translation work and seeking publishing opportunities. For translators with their first publishing contract, we provide grants from our support fund.

Translation House Looren organizes dialogue sessions at a number of Swiss universities, in which experienced translators talk about their work and careers. These encounters can include a mini-workshop, where the participants work on their own short translations. We are always pleased to hear from teaching staff at literature faculties who would like to offer their students such a dialogue. We ask interested students to make requests to their own faculties.

How does a text I’d like to translate become a publication? How do I get my first publishing contract as a young translator? This short workshop focuses on questions like these about getting into translation. An editor and an experienced translator talk about working together, providing information on procedures inside publishing houses and what it takes to publish a translation project. The short workshop takes place twice a year, once in Ticino and once in German-speaking Switzerland.

With the universities of Basel and Zürich, we regularly organize practice-oriented workshops on literary translation, led by professional literary translators. Advanced students from MA level gain insights over one or two days into translation careers, and learn concepts of translation theory and criticism. The workshops also pass on knowledge about the publishing world and the importance of translation in the literary industry. During the workshop, the participants work on a first literary translation and receive professional feedback. Some workshops are open to external participants. Contact us to ask about upcoming workshops.

One-week mentorships for early-career translators

Translation House Looren offers three mentorships a year for early-career translators. The requirements are a completed degree in an area related to languages, literature or translation, and initial translation experience. To apply for a mentorship, early-career translators must have worked intensively on a project and provide a thorough 10-to-15-page sample translation. During the mentorship, they spend a week at Translation House Looren with their mentors and receive support adapted to their needs. The focus is on intensive translation work, producing a presentation dossier, and practical tips for seeking a publisher.

One mentorship for translation from English into a Swiss national language is supported every year by the Max Geilinger Foundation. The other mentorships are supported by Pro Helvetia and must have a connection to Switzerland: anyone translating a work of Swiss literature or who is a Swiss citizen or has lived in Switzerland for at least three years can apply.

No fixed deadline, applications are welcome any time.

Please submit:

  • CV
  • Proof of completed degree (in exceptional cases, translators with other qualifications may apply)
  • Proof of first experiences in literary translation (university seminar, published translations in journals or similar, other mentorships or support programmes)
  • Sample translation (10 to 15 pages)
  • Same pages of the original
  • Project description with translation issues and open questions
  • Motivation letter for a mentorship with a stay at Translation House Looren


One-semester mentorships for students from MA level

In cooperation with a number of universities, we organize four one-semester mentorships that take place mainly online and include an intensive week working with the mentor at Translation House Looren.

  • University of Lausanne, Centre de traduction littéraire (CTL)
  • University of Geneva, Faculté de traduction et d’interpretation (FTI)
  • University of Zürich, Scandinavian studies
  • University of Zürich, Italian studies

The mentorships are open for students from each of the above faculties. The application process takes place directly via the universities. If you are interested, please contact the individuals and offices listed in the calls for applications.

Every year, three motivated emerging translators have an opportunity to take minutes at a professional translation workshop organised by Translation House Looren. That means they take part in an intensive one-week training programme on literary translation. They participate in text discussions and write a summary of the sessions as minutes. They see close-up how professional literary translators work, attend guest talks and excursions, and get a chance to make personal contacts within the translation world.

This role is suited for beginner translators in at least their second year of an MA course, but preferably at graduate level with a completed MA in literature, languages or translation.

Information on the professional translation workshops currently open for applications is available on our website. For more information on the role of minute-taker and how to apply, see here.

We offer six grants a year from the support fund for translators working on a first translation for a professional publishing house, who have a translation contract. Three of these grants are available for translation projects in any language combinations. Three more are supported by Pro Helvetia and must have a connection to Switzerland: anyone translating a work of Swiss literature or who is a Swiss citizen or has lived in Switzerland for at least three years can apply.

To apply for a residency with a grant, please use our online application form for residencies, and submit all the documents required there. You’ll find the application form here.

Further information and contact

Are you interested in an emerging translator programme for your students?
Would you like to attend a workshop or apply for a mentorship?
We’re happy to advise you!
For information on our emerging translators programme, please contact Florence Widmer. florence.widmer@looren.net

Translation House Looren’s emerging translators programme is supported by the Swiss arts council Pro Helvetia and the Max Geilinger Foundation, and is a collaboration with the Centre de traduction littéraire in Lausanne, the universities of Basel, Geneva and Zürich, and the Casa della letteratura in Lugano.

19 Mar
2024
9.00–15.00

Translation goes to School

Übersetzerhaus Looren, Wernetshausen

Through workshops and encounters with literary translators, school students aged fifteen and up can take a look at this skilled creative profession. The first workshop focuses on translating comics, taking place at Translation House Looren with Hinwil Secondary School on 19 March. The translator Myriam Alfano will lead the way.

07 May
2024
9.30–12.00

Translation goes to School: Translators in Conversation

Translation House Looren, Wernetshausen

Through short workshops and encounters with literary translators, school students aged fifteen and up can take a look at working life in this skilled creative profession.

The participants of the Literature Blog course at Zürcher Oberland Grammar School will be visiting the experienced Greek translator Iannis Kalifatidis at Translation House Looren on 7 May. They’ll be talking about the challenges of translating classics of German and English literature into Greek.