Just a few months after the successful start in June 2020, Benjamin Bühl and Mike Bertsch, the two founding partners of the start-up Qonda, realized another milestone of their business plan.
Since the winter semester 2020, the new browser-based RSI platform (RSI = Remote Simultaneous Interpreting) has been the official cooperation and training partner of the renowned chair for Translation and Interpreting at National University of Ireland (NUI), Galway. As an integral part of the program for the field of remote interpreting, Qonda will play an important part in the qualified education of the next generation of simultaneous interpreters.
The benefits of a cooperation between the providers of RSI platforms and colleges or universities are evident: For many interpreters, working through RSI platforms has become as a well-established, reliable routine within just a few years. Accordingly, online tools for simultaneous remote interpreting have become a permanent component of interpreting study programs. “It is important for universities to introduce their language students directly to RSI platforms so that the budding interpreters are well prepared for their future working environment. After all, this is a medium which will accompany them throughout their careers”, Mike Bertsch says.
Win-win-situation for both sides.
For his partner Benjamin Bühl, one of the best things about the future cooperation in interpreter training is the potential for improving Qonda: “It is a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to further develop our platform in cooperation with teachers and students. This brings us as close as possible to our users. Thus, we are looking forward to an intensive exchange and many fresh ideas from the interdisciplinary cooperation with the University.” Obviously, the Qonda founders also count on additional benefits from recommendation marketing and word-of-mouth among the graduates.
Superior multi-functionality
The chances are good, since the innovative multi-functional tool from the two Wiesbaden-based industry experts offers application options that Susan Nolan, MA and coordinator of the Translation and Interpreting department at NUI, has so far sorely missed among its competitors: “To be honest, we looked at a number of platforms, both for professional interpreting and for teaching needs, because the former and the latter don’t always match up. Among all the platforms we checked for teaching purposes, Qonda’s Talk-Through function was the best simulation of a classroom. From the point of view of professional interpreting, the Qonda panel as we saw it came closest to a booth, offering solid, fast handover functions. In my opinion, this product is currently the best in competition!”
Behind Qonda are two who have combined their two perspectives: Benjamin Bühl has been managing Dolmetscheragentur24 for 5 years and has been in the industry for 17 years. Mike Bertsch has been managing director of B&B Technik + Events and an expert in event technology and organization for over 20 years.
With Qonda companies, NGOs, associations etc. have the possibility to have their meetings, conferences and conventions of any kind interpreted into an infinite number of languages.
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