GILT Research Centre (GILTRC) — HSUHK

AI人工智能인공지능IA翻譯翻訳번역traduccióntraductionпереводترجمةअनुवादg11ni18nl10nt9nGILTGBA

Logo banner placeholder

GILT Research Centre (GILTRC)

Advancing the frontiers of Globalisation, Internationalisation, Localisation, and Translation research through innovation and collaboration.

Globalisation (G11N)

Adapting products and services for global markets across cultural, linguistic and technical requirements.

Internationalisation (I18N)

Designing products to adapt to various languages and regions without engineering changes.

Localisation (L10N)

Adapting products to meet the language and cultural requirements of a specific market.

Translation (T9N)

Converting text between languages while maintaining meaning and context.

Our Centre

About GILTRC

The first GILT Research Centre of its kind in Hong Kong, established at HSUHK.

With the support of experts from the five schools of HSUHK, the research team established the GILT Research Centre — the first of its kind in Hong Kong — with funding support of HK$4.04 million from the Institutional Development Scheme (IDS) Research Infrastructure Grant of the Research Grants Council of the HKSAR Government. By leveraging the cross-disciplinary expertise of HSUHK’s five schools, the Centre fosters academic exploration of multilingual communication and language services, and investigates the multifaceted aspects of GILT — considering how professionals in cross-lingual and cross-regional promotion can address challenges and seize opportunities in an ever-changing, post-pandemic world.

Established

HK$0.00M

Research Funding

Partner Schools

Strategic Research Directions

Our Journey

How GILTRC Has Grown

2024Founded

The Centre was established

GILTRC was founded with HK$4.04M from the Institutional Development Scheme (IDS) Research Infrastructure Grant of the Research Grants Council — the first GILT research centre of its kind in Hong Kong, uniting experts from HSUHK's five schools.

2024First initiatives

We laid the foundations

Launched the GILT Seminar Series and the Student Research Assistants Scheme, introduced the web-based GILT Research Hub, and held our first international event — the 'Multilingualism and Multiculturalism' Seminar Series (MMSS) — in December 2024, alongside an HSUHK–Manchester research roundtable.

2025Research momentum

Scholarship & standards grew

Presented papers at APTIF11, TAW and MICED and submitted a Community Translation & Interpreting (CCTI) certification framework to the Hong Kong Translation Society.

2025Flagship event

Second International GILT Research Symposium

Hosted the International GILT Research Symposium — Globalisation, Technology & Society — bridging theory, policy and practice in the age of AI.

2026Tools & impact

Innovation & thought leadership

Released the SemScore semantic-similarity tool, co-produced the industry book 《幸福經濟時代的來臨》 (The Advent of the Happiconomy), contributed to two new undergraduate translation modules, and grew the RA Scheme to its fifth cohort.

2026Looking ahead

International Symposium 2026

Preparing 'Plural Logics in the GILT Ecosystem' (21–22 November 2026), and developing new tools including the TCM Translation Studio and Culture, Sports & Tourism translation technology.

What's On

Upcoming Events

Join our symposia, talks and seminars exploring the future of GILT.

International Symposium 2026 · Call for Papers

Plural Logics in the GILT Ecosystem

Social, religious, medical, technical, and aesthetic dynamics

The GILT framework — Globalisation, Internationalisation, Localisation, and Translation — is no longer just a corporate process. It is a massive, living ecosystem driven by competing logics and diverse worldviews. This call for papers invites perspectives from diverse fields, spanning from art to science.

Express interest

21–22 November 2026

SocialReligiousMedicalTechnicalAesthetic

Perspectives welcomed from across the arts and sciences.

10 September 2026

AI-mediated language access: The case of social services in the UK

Lucas N Vieira · Associate Professor in Translation Studies, University of Bristol

Users and providers of critical services often rely on automated translations to communicate. Moving beyond polarised views of AI, this talk examines the daily communication needs of UK social workers and the communities they serve, and analyses AI-assisted strategies used to address them. Using social work as a case study, it presents a model of AI-mediated communication based on level of risk and extent of AI use — offering insights for research on language-discordant public service interactions.

More events announced regularly

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and Threads, or email giltrc@hsu.edu.hk to be notified about future seminars, talks and symposia.

On the Horizon

Tools in Development

In development

TCM Translation Studio (中醫翻譯工作室)

A forthcoming tool addressing the unique challenges of translating Traditional Chinese Medicine — high-stakes clinical accuracy, diverse text types, and deeply culture-coded terminology that even advanced AI mistranslates. In development under the Technology for GILT direction.

Text-type adaptation across nine clinical and academic scenarios
Cross-genre conversion (e.g. research paper → public health material)
Standardised TCM term base aligned with WHO references
Custom glossaries with translation memory
Multi-model comparison for best-output selection

In progress

Culture, Sports & Tourism Translation Technology (文體旅翻譯科技)

An ongoing project exploring how AI can strengthen Hong Kong's international promotion across culture, sports and tourism. It pairs a bespoke domain database built on government open data with large language models and a refinement module to deliver transcreation — correctly rendering official brand names such as Design District Hong Kong (#ddHK) where generic AI falls short.

Professional translation for official sites, promotions and social platforms
Roadmap: travel-app integration & QR-code site guides
Long-term vision: a personalised AI virtual tour guide

Shaping professional translation standards

Submitted a Certified Community Translator & Interpreter (CCTI) framework and a pilot examination guidebook to the Hong Kong Translation Society (HKTS).

Embedding language technology in the curriculum

Contributed to two new undergraduate modules — "Foundations of Translation and Language Services" and "AI, Translation, Editing and QA" (2026) — alongside the "Language Technology" module, and integrated GILT findings into MA translation technology modules on Generative AI and international communication.

Building research tools & infrastructure

Launched the GILT Research Hub, an MT combination tool, the interactive "AI Concept Companion", and SemScore — a browser-based semantic translation similarity tool — with the TCM Translation Studio and Culture, Sports & Tourism translation technology now in development.

Developing emerging GILT researchers

The Student Research Assistants Scheme has reached its fifth batch, supported by dedicated training workshops and a training manual.

Bridging academia and industry

Knowledge-exchange events such as "AI in Translation: Friend or Foe" with Toppan Digital Language, and industry thought leadership via 《幸福經濟時代的來臨》 (The Advent of the Happiconomy), connected professionals with current trends.

Public thought leadership & dissemination

Research and ideas presented at APTIF11, TAW, MICED, the Tzu Chi Forum and the Int'l Conference on AI & the Humanities, and an HSUHK–Manchester roundtable.

Knowledge Exchange & Activity Highlights

FeaturedSchemes & Training

16 June 2026

Launch of the 5th Student Research Assistants Scheme

The fifth batch of the Student Research Assistants Scheme commenced, continuing the Centre's commitment to nurturing emerging GILT researchers.

FeaturedTalks & Seminars

15 June 2026

Research Seminars — 「智啟未來」 (Enlightening the Future): Teaching Innovation & a New Global Education Landscape in the AI Era

A double bill of seminars: (1) 「AI 時代的翻譯與外語教學」 (Translation and Foreign-Language Teaching in the AI Era), on how large language models are reshaping translation training and language pedagogy; and (2) 「一帶一路下中國對外教育發展的轉型與新機遇」 (Transformation and New Opportunities in China's Outbound Education under the Belt and Road Initiative).

FeaturedTools & Resources

May 2026

Release of SemScore — Semantic Translation Similarity Tool

Launched SemScore, a browser-based tool that uses a multilingual neural embedding model to measure how closely a translation matches its source or a human reference — supporting cross-lingual, reference-match and combined scoring at document or sentence level, entirely in the browser.

FeaturedTalks & Seminars

14 April 2026

Research Seminar: Beyond the Black Box — Multimodal AI and Non-Western Music Traditions

Dr Rakesh Kumar (The Chinese University of Hong Kong) explored how AI, largely trained on Western data, can be redesigned to respect global heritage rather than flattening non-Western traditions from Africa, India and China — and the interdisciplinary collaboration this demands across technology, music, linguistics and social science.

FeaturedPublications & Media

17 March 2026

Op-ed: Strict Terminology Control — Helping Traditional Chinese Medicine 'Go Global'

In the 「恒大譯站」(HSUHK Translation Station) column in Wen Wei Po, the Centre's Director examined why Traditional Chinese Medicine is so hard to translate — high-stakes clinical accuracy, diverse text types, and deeply culture-coded five-element terminology that even advanced AI mistranslates — and introduced the Centre's TCM Translation Studio (中醫翻譯工作室), featuring text-type adaptation across nine scenarios, cross-genre conversion, a standardised TCM term base aligned with WHO references, custom glossaries with translation memory, and multi-model comparison.

FeaturedCurriculum

February 2026

Two New Undergraduate Translation Modules Developed

The Centre contributed to the development of two new undergraduate translation modules — 'Foundations of Translation and Language Services' and 'AI, Translation, Editing and QA' — strengthening the integration of GILT and language technology into the curriculum.

FeaturedPublications & Media

6 February 2026

Book Launch — 《幸福經濟時代的來臨》 (The Advent of the Happiconomy)

Over 150 business decision-makers, executives and scholars attended the launch and author sharing session of 《幸福經濟時代的來臨》 (The Advent of the Happiconomy), organised by Philopreneur (哲企家) and co-organised by bodies including HSUHK's GILT Research Centre and Institute of Knowledge Exchange. The Centre's Director hosted the session; the book is co-authored by Amen Lee, Kenneth Kwong, John Wong and Jacky Lau.

Schemes & Training

2 Feb – 31 Mar 2026

Launch of the 4th Student Research Assistants Scheme

Recruitment for the fourth batch of the Student Research Assistants Scheme, offering hands-on experience across the Centre's strategic research areas.

FeaturedConferences & Papers

7 January 2026

Paper: Agentic AI for Bilingual Transcreation — Simulating a Translation Team for Hong Kong's Culture, Sports and Tourism

The Centre Director presented at the International Conference on AI and the Humanities (Saint Francis University) on a multi-agent AI framework that simulates a professional translation team — with 'Researcher', 'Transcreator' and 'Cultural Editor' roles — to improve the cultural relevance and persuasive tone of bilingual transcreation for Hong Kong's arts and tourism sectors, supporting the city's role as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.

FeaturedConferences & Papers

8–9 December 2025

International GILT Research Symposium 2025: Globalisation, Technology & Society

Bridging theory, policy and practice in the age of AI — interrogating the evolving role of translation as a core socio-technological practice embedded within geopolitical, cultural and economic systems.

FeaturedConferences & Papers

4–5 December 2025

The 10th Tzu Chi Forum — 'Technology for Goodness'

The Centre took part in the 10th Tzu Chi Forum in Hong Kong, exploring how technology guided by humanistic values can serve humanity with wisdom and compassion, alongside speakers from academia, industry and NGOs.

Talks & Seminars

2 December 2025

Talk: The Changing World of Translation - Past, Present and Future

A talk delivered to university students from Beijing majoring in Chinese, covering Buddhist scripture translation, scientific and technical translation, financial translation, and future industry trends.

Talks & Seminars

1 November 2025

Talk: Beyond Words - Rethinking Translation Technology in a Multimodal Age

A talk at Lingnan University exploring the evolving landscape of translation technology within multimodal communication.

FeaturedPublications & Media

14 October 2025

Op-ed: Crossing Language Barriers to Showcase Culture, Sports & Tourism

In the 「恒大譯站」(HSUHK Translation Station) column in Wen Wei Po, the Centre's Director introduced the Culture, Sports & Tourism Translation Technology project, which pairs a bespoke domain database built on government open data with large language models and a refinement module to deliver transcreation. Using the Hong Kong Tourism Blueprint 2.0, it showed how the approach correctly renders official brand names such as Design District Hong Kong (#ddHK), and envisaged future personalised AI virtual tour guides.

FeaturedConferences & Papers

October 2025

Paper Presentation at MICED 2025

'From Campus to Industry...' (by Nimo Du) was presented at the 2025 Malaysia-China International Conference on Educational Development (MICED2025).

Schemes & Training

9 October 2025

Embracing the Fascinating World of GILT Research

A research workshop familiarising student research assistants with research methods while providing networking opportunities.

FeaturedSchemes & Training

October 2025

Launch of 3rd Student Research Assistants Scheme

The third batch commenced with overwhelming response—nine students recruited from a large applicant pool.

FeaturedPublications & Media

September 2025

Submission of Translation Certificate Framework to HKTS

Submitted a Certified Community Translator & Interpreter (CCTI) framework and draft candidate guide to the Hong Kong Translation Society.

Talks & Seminars

3 July 2025

Talk: IELTS Preparation in the Era of AI and Globalisation

A talk by the Founder of LinguoSmart on data-driven AI approaches to exam preparation.

Talks & Seminars

12 June 2025

Seminars: Translation Technology Practice and Teaching in the AI Era

Two seminars under the theme 「AI時代的翻譯科技實踐與教學」 (Translation Technology Practice and Teaching in the AI Era): 'Walking with AI' and 'Riding the AI Wave'.

Curriculum

May 2025

Design of New Undergraduate Module: Language Technology

Helping students embrace language-related AI applications to enhance cross-lingual communication.

Conferences & Papers

May 2025

Papers Presented at APTIF11 and TAW Conferences

Academic papers presented at APTIF11 and the Translation and the World (TAW) conferences.

FeaturedPublications & Media

29 April 2025

Op-ed: Translation Technology for Cross-Lingual Exchange and an International Education Hub

In the 「恒大譯站」(HSUHK Translation Station) column in Wen Wei Po, the Centre's Director argued that translation technology can advance Hong Kong's goal of becoming an international post-secondary education hub. Drawing on a Centre study into the state of local translation-technology education, it recommended redesigning curricula around generative AI, broadening cross-lingual training, strengthening high-end specialised translation, deepening industry partnerships, and establishing a graded competency-certification system.

FeaturedTalks & Seminars

24 April 2025

AI in Translation: Friend or Foe

Industry sharing by Toppan Digital Language on AI in translation — latest trends and tips for current and aspiring GILT professionals.

FeaturedSchemes & Training

9 April 2025

Emerging GILT Researchers: Training Seminar

Training workshop for Spring 2025 Student Research Assistants.

FeaturedConferences & Papers

17 March 2025

Paper Accepted to TAW2025

'Analysis of Localisation and Language Services in China's Automotive Industry...' (Vernia Hao & Nimo Du) accepted by TAW.

FeaturedConferences & Papers

18 February 2025

Paper Accepted to APTIF11

'Bridging Cultures and Industries...' (Nimo Du & Vernia Hao) accepted by APTIF11.

FeaturedTools & Resources

22 January 2025

Introduction to GILT Research Hub

Showcased the latest GILT Research Hub to accreditation panellists and postgraduate students.

FeaturedTalks & Seminars

16 January 2025

Cross-Cultural Memes on Social Media for Marketing and Communication

A seminar on the strategic use of cross-cultural memes in social media marketing across diverse audiences.

FeaturedTalks & Seminars

16 January 2025

ChatGPT as a Tool to Facilitate Self-Directed Language Learning

A seminar exploring ChatGPT as a tool for self-directed language learning outside traditional classrooms.

Schemes & Training

19 December 2024

Training Workshop for Student Research Assistants (Winter 2024)

Workshop and 'Student RA Guide and Training Manual' e-book covering content creation, article review and electronic resources.

FeaturedTalks & Seminars

13 December 2024

AI and Digital Buddhism

A presentation on Digital Buddhism, introducing computational methods in Buddhist Studies and a framework for AI integration in Buddhist scripture translation.

FeaturedTalks & Seminars

12–13 December 2024

「Multilingualism and Multiculturalism」 Seminar Series (MMSS)

The Centre's first international event — the MMSS featured five seminars exploring cultural exchange, translation, and technological mediation in contemporary society.

FeaturedConferences & Papers

20 November 2024

HSUHK – Manchester Roundtable Discussion cum Research Workshop

Joint initiative with the Graduate School and University of Manchester exploring Internationalisation and Transnationalisation of Higher Education.

FeaturedTalks & Seminars

13 November 2024

GILT Seminar Series: Global Reach, Local Impact

A comprehensive introduction to GILT in the language industry, its practical applications in global web development, and the Centre's strategic focus areas.

FeaturedSchemes & Training

November 2024

Student Research Assistant Scheme Launch

Launched a new initiative recruiting students to explore three strategic research areas, providing hands-on GILT research experience.

Talks & Seminars

November 2024

Technology Revolution Talk at PolyU

The Centre Director delivered a speech exploring the revolution of technology for translation and localisation in the AI era.

FeaturedTools & Resources

October 2024

New MT Combination Tool

Developed an innovative tool for combining and optimising results from two machine translation systems.

Curriculum

September 2024

MA Curriculum Integration

Integrated GILT research findings into two MA translation technology modules, focusing on Generative AI for creative translation and international communication.

FeaturedTools & Resources

August 2024

AI Concept Companion Launch

Launched an interactive web application providing concise explanations of AI terminology for beginners and enthusiasts.

Curriculum

July 2024

Curriculum Enhancement

Incorporated GILT content into an undergraduate translation module focusing on IT industry translation.

Publications & Media

June 2024

Book Chapter: Revolutionising Translation with AI (NMT & LLMs)

Siu, S. C. (2024) published 'Revolutionising Translation with AI: Unravelling Neural Machine Translation and Generative Pre-trained Large Language Models' (pp. 29–54) in New Advances in Translation Technology (Springer, New Frontiers in Translation Studies).

Publications & Media

May 2024

ChatGPT Research Publication

Published an article on SSRN discussing four potential areas where ChatGPT can enhance computer-assisted translation evaluation.

Publications & Media

April 2024

Media Coverage

Featured article in a Chinese newspaper discussing GILT research using smartphone technology as a case study.

Talks & Seminars

March 2024

AI Translation Talk at HKMU

A presentation on AI for Specialized Translation, aligned with the 'Technology for GILT' theme.

Publications & Media

January 2024

University Newsletter Feature

Featured in the University Newsletter's 'Research Story' section, discussing GILT research and Centre activities.

Talks & Seminars

January 2024

School Outreach Activity

A talk to secondary school students: 'Unlocking the Future of Translation and Language Industry in the AI Era: Three Game-Changing Insights'.

Key People in the Centre

Multilingualism and Policy Making

Research Assistant

Dr Muhammad Aamir KHAN

GILT of Digital Media

Research Assistant

Ms Paris TANG

Technology for GILT

Research Assistant

Dr ZHANG Ke

GILT and Business World

For enquiries about the team or potential collaboration, contact the Centre at giltrc@hsu.edu.hk.

Major & Most Recent Publications

Our Publications

Books, book chapters, conference papers, and policy frameworks produced by the Centre.

Books, Book Chapters & Conference Papers

Book

《幸福經濟時代的來臨》 (The Advent of the Happiconomy) [Book]. Co-authored by Amen Lee, Kenneth Kwong, John Wong, and Jacky Lau. Published January 2026.

Book Chapter

Siu, S. C. (2026). Generative AI for Financial Translation: Opportunities and Challenges in Hong Kong. In Translating Finance and Economics: Theory, Practice, Training and Technology (pp. 129–163, 35 p.). New Frontiers in Translation Studies, vol. Part F1829. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH.

Conference Paper

Du, N., & Hao, V. (2025). Bridging Cultures and Industries: The Role of Language Services in Localizing Belt and Road Initiative Projects in Southeast Asia. Presented at the 11th Asia-Pacific Translation and Interpreting Forum (APTIF11).

Conference Paper

Hao, V., & Du, N. (2025). Analysis of Localisation and Language Services in China’s Automotive Industry Exporting Overseas. Presented at the Talking Across the World Symposium (TAW).

Conference Paper

Du, N. (2025). From Campus to Industry: Human Capital Development through China–Malaysia Educational Cooperation Initiatives. Presented at the 2025 Malaysia-China International Conference on Educational Development (MICED2025).

Book Chapter

Siu, S. C. (2024). Revolutionising Translation with AI: Unravelling Neural Machine Translation and Generative Pre-trained Large Language Models. In Y. Peng, H. Huang, & D. Li (Eds.), New Advances in Translation Technology (pp. 29–54). New Frontiers in Translation Studies. Singapore: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-2958-6_3

Policy Frameworks & Professional Guidelines

Submitted to the Hong Kong Translation Society for the CCTI Initiative.

Policy Framework

GILT Research Centre. (2025). A Framework for a Community Translation and Interpreting Certification in Hong Kong.

Examination Guide

GILT Research Centre. (2025). Examination Guidebook (Pilot Program Edition) for the Certified Community Translator & Interpreter (CCTI).

More publications — along with the Centre’s online tools and applications — are available at the GILT Research Hub.

Strategic Partnerships & Collaborations

Who We Work With

Cross-disciplinary, academic, professional, industry and research-network collaborators, locally and overseas.

Within HSUHK — Cross-disciplinary

School of Translation and Foreign Languages

Lead school for translation, interpreting and language studies.

School of Business

Global business, economics and finance expertise.

School of Communication

Strategic communication, media and culture.

School of Humanities and Social Science

Social science, art and design, Greater China studies.

School of Decision Sciences

Supply chain, e-learning and technology research.

Institute of Knowledge Exchange (HSUHK)

University-wide knowledge-exchange collaboration.

Academic Partners — Overseas

University of Manchester

Joint roundtable & research workshop on internationalisation of higher education.

University of Bristol

Invited talk on AI-mediated language access in public services.

Academic Partners — Local

Lingnan University

Host of an invited talk on translation technology.

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Venue for a talk on technology for translation and localisation.

Hong Kong Metropolitan University

Venue for a talk on AI for specialised translation.

Saint Francis University

Host of the International Conference on AI and the Humanities.