© European Commission 2024

EU AI Act Enters in Force August 1, 2024

The first phase of the EU AI ACT enters into force, a first worldwide. France’s data watchdog CNIL provides guidance on relations to European privacy regulation.Read more ...

Museums Switching between TikTok-length and Nuance - Currying Favour, Muddling Through, or Enligthenment

Rebecca Johnson, Chief Scientist National Museum of Natural History of the U.S. Smithsonian Institution talks about aspiring a global reach while comparing to other museums and managing tensions between goals and WIPO initiatives regarding traditional knowledge, climate change, or creationism. About winning Generation Z, compressing information into social media-length, or teaching what science “is”. Complemented by an analysis how museums fluctuate between currying favours, muddling through, and enlightenment.Read more ...

Roller Coaster of a Pan-African Automotive Market

- Inside Auto Industry Diplomacy

Opportunities and disappointments of creating a pan-African automotive market for the industry. David Coffey, CEO of AAAM details what has been achieved in discreet negotiations and in hands-on activities. On gridlocks and regulatory suprise, government’s manoeuvering, or vehicle production volumes. Will indigenous carmakers benefit? Will development wither away? What about batteries, or alternative fuels?Read more ...

Communicating across different worlds

opinion

Bridging Cultures: Communicative Experiences along Chinese, English, and German

“Pardon?” A Chinese would rather politely say 不好意思 or «I am sorry, I did not listen exactly”. Instead of an impolite 啥?(What) one would reply in a neutral way 能再说一遍吗 or «Could you repeat that».You might be surprised how differently Chinese speakers handle difficulties of understanding each other. All the more so in case of thanking, apologising, declining something, criticising, shaking hands or exchanging business cards. Haiwen Dong, a linguistics graduate describes his experiences in Chinese, English, or German interaction, and offers some practical suggestions for being polite and courteous in spoken, nonverbal, and written communication.Read more ...

On Understanding and Being Understood in Multilingual Work Settings

So, in the workplace everybody communicates in English, right? You might be surprised what can go wrong even mastering three languages. Marco Arana recounts from his own personal experience shifting from academia to the blue collar world having to communicate in Spanish, German and, of course English.Read more ...