Welcome to the Association
The Italian Association of Translators and Interpreters (Associazione Italiana Traduttori e Interpreti or AITI) is a non-profit body of professional translators and interpreters.
Established in 1950, AITI it is the oldest association of translators and interpreters in Italy as well as the largest, with 1,219 members as at 15 April 2023.
The Association consists of technical and scientific translators, literary translators, legal translators, localizers, conference interpreters, business interpreters, legal interpreters and public service interpreters.
Aspiring members need to prove their relevant qualifications and professional experience: in order to become a qualified member of AITI, professional translators and interpreters are required to pass an exam that simulates a real-life working environment.
AITI is a founding member of the International Federation of Translators (Fédération Internationale des Traducteurs or FIT), an international grouping of over 130 professional associations and training institutes, representing more than 85,000 language professionals in 55 countries around the world.
As of 2014, AITI is also represented at the FIT Council.
AITI acknowledges FIT as the international body that represents professional translators and interpreters and it closely collaborates with its sister organizations, especially those within the European Union.
Purposes
As set out in its Articles of Association, AITI’s purposes are to:
- promote advancement in the legal status of professional translators and interpreters;
- verify the professional skills of its members;
- promote the social, cultural and economic standing of translators and interpreters with customers and institutions;
- promote the continuing professional development of translators and interpreters, as well as their observance of a Code of Professional Ethics and Conduct;
- foster the best possible ethical and social working conditions for both employed and self-employed translators and interpreters, including through the formulation of model contracts;
- promote the gathering and dissemination of information about the profession;
- develop and disseminate recommendations, rules, standards and professional best practices;
- facilitate access to the profession, including through university channels and career-oriented study days;
- promote implementation of the most suitable made-to-measure professional-development courses for translators and interpreters; and
- promote legislation that would ensure that interpretation and translation services in Italian criminal court proceedings are provided by qualified professional translators and interpreters, in accordance with the international law governing this area, in primis Directive 2010/64/EU.
The Rules implement the provisions set out in the Articles of Association.
AITI's Structure
AITI comprises a National Governing Board and 12 Regional Branches. The National Governing Board sets the Association’s national guidelines and launches nationwide initiatives.
The Regional Branches manage regional activities and are mainly involved in organizing continuing education and professional development courses.
The Association’s Bodies
The General Assembly of AITI Members convenes once a year to discuss the industry’s issues.
Every four years, the Assembly elects the National Governing Board (CDN – Consiglio Direttivo Nazionale), the National Board of Internal Auditors and the National Internal Appeals Board.
The National Governing Board is chaired by the National Chairperson, who is aided in his/her duties by the Treasurer and the Secretary-General, by the National Governing Board’s nine elected members and by the Regional Presidents (members of the National Governing Board ex officio). The participation of the Regional Presidents ensures coordination between the Association’s two levels.
Committees and Permanent Offices
Various permanent and ad hoc committees operate at both a local and a national level, tasked with formulating responses to issues raised by Members:
- the National Admissions Committee
- the Committee for the Articles of Association and Regulations
- the Continuing Professional Development Committee
- the Interpreters Committee
- the Legal and Judicial Translators and Interpreters Committee
- the Literary Translators Committee
- the Technical-Scientific Translators Committee
- the Communication Committee
Their proposals may then be implemented by the National Governing Board or the Regional Governing Boards.
In addition, the:
- Webmasters
- Admissions Help Desk, and
- Members Directory Secretary
provide permanent services both to the Association’s members and to all those who visit this website.
Activities
AITI operates at an international, a national and a regional level. At the international level, AITI attends the FIT Statutory Congress, participates in activities promoted by FIT-Europe and works with supra-national bodies. AITI is also a member of CEATL Conseil Européen des Associations de Traducteurs Littéraires - the European Board of Associations of Literary Translators), PETRA (Plateforme Européenne pour la Traduction Littéraire - the European Platform for Literary Translation) and EULITA (European Legal Interpreters and Translators Association).
AITI is a member of Confassociazioni (Confederazione Associazioni Professionali – the Confederation of Professional Associations), UNI (Ente Nazionale Italiano di Unificazione – the Italian Organization for Standardization), the MIUR committee for the approval of BA curricula in Linguistic Mediation (MIUR – Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca – Ministry for Education, Universities and Research) and the MiBACT committee for the Awarding of National Awards for Translation (MiBACT – Ministero dei beni e delle attività culturali e del turismo – Ministry for Heritage, Cultural Activity and Tourism).
The Advantages of Membership
In addition to the many benefits both of belonging to an organization that only accepts qualified professionals and of being represented at a national and international level by the leading Italian professional association in the sector, AITI members enjoy the following further advantages:
- inclusion (with targeted search parameters) of their professional profile in the Members Directory;
- the possibility of an AITI certificate recognising the professional nature and quality of their services, in accordance with Law no. 4 of 14/01/2013 (governing non-regulated professions) for AITI qualified members;
- free or discounted training courses organized by AITI’s regional branches and reserved to members;
- particularly advantageous professional insurance and health insurance policies;
- access to guidance and consultancy services regarding professional issues;
- discounts on all fee-chargeable initiatives organised or approved by AITI as well as on certain selected publications, services and software products;
- opportunities to meet, discuss and compare experiences with other members;
- the chance to participate in online discussion fora regarding terminology, CPD, job opportunities, tax and retirement planning, practice management, IT resources etc; and
- subscription to all AITI’s journals and other publications.
