“Serendipity” summarizes – somewhat surprisingly, I suspect – the main attraction of conferences for me.

Yes, when you look through the programme and plan which sessions/workshops/presentations you’re going to attend, you’ll normally find something of interest to occupy 90% of your time on site. Even for those with rarer languages or specialities (Japanese transfer pricing, for example), the material always seems to have enough general application to be relevant. Yet the 10% is the added value that you can’t find in websites, webinars or written reports.

Sometimes it might be a throwaway comment by a presenter or an incisive sotto voce remark by a neighbour in the audience; sometimes a late-night conversation in the hotel lounge, covering everything from software tips to industry insights; sometimes the chance to put a spur-of-the-moment question or suggestion to one of the conference sponsors. Specialized events such as the International Japanese-English Translation Conference taking place in York this June are wonderful for those in that particular domain, but above all, the broad scope covered by the ITI Conference offers a unique opportunity for such serendipity, due to the incredible mix of freelancers, clients, agencies and suppliers from all languages and areas.

It’s always daunting to find oneself amongst hundreds of people who all seem to know each other, and easy for solitary translators to skulk at the back, taking copious notes but too shy to engage with those around – most of us probably started that way. But my hope for this ITI Conference 2015 is that my colleagues on the ITI Board and other experienced Fellows of the Institute will be recognizable and accessible so that anyone with a query can approach us, and – even though every minute is precious at such events – either gain a brief insight or be directed to someone suitable to help them further.

The power of a network is in its members and the connections, and where better to cultivate these than the ITI Conference?