Professional translator or AI?

You can use a professional translator (a freelancer or through an agency) or may wish to use AI. For more information on using AI, see our page on Working with AI.

Legal and safety risks

How serious would the consequences of an incorrect translation be? For legal, policy, medical or safety-related content, errors can have significant consequences. In these cases, a professional translator or human reviewer should be involved. For legal texts, use a disclaimer stating that the Dutch version applies:

Disclaimer: This is an unofficial translation provided for information purposes only. If there are any discrepancies between the original Dutch version of [name of text] and this translation, the Dutch version shall govern. Any such discrepancies are not binding and are of no legal effect.

Reputation and quality

The university's communications should reflect our standards of quality and professionalism. Poor translations can reduce clarity, create misunderstandings and damage credibility. Common issues include:

• inconsistent terminology
• spelling and grammar errors
• awkward or incorrect English
• inconsistent writing styles.

Personal or sensitive data

If you use AI tools, consider what information you are sharing. Do not enter personal or sensitive data. For more information, see our page on Working with AI.

Writing guide and terminology list

Always follow the university writing guide and terminology list, regardless of whether you use a translator or AI. For example:

• Use British English (for example, behaviour rather than behavior)
• Use the -s spelling (for example, analyse rather than analyze; organise rather than organize)
• Use the correct university terminology (for example, translate College van Bestuur as Executive Board).

Review AI translations

Always review AI translations before publication. You remain responsible for the accuracy of the text, even if you have used a service or prompt that the university advises.

If you have produced a translation using AI and it has not been reviewed by a professional translator, include the following statement: 

This translation was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence. It has not been reviewed by a professional human translator.

Contact

If you have any questions about translations, please contact translations@leidenuniv.nl.