The article highlights the collaboration between the University of the Orange Free State and the two institutes for translators and interpreters in Antwerp, Belgium. It sets out to explore and analyse the similarities and differences between conference interpreting and liaison interpreting. More and more researchers and practitioners familiar with the two spheres of interpreting activity argue that theoretically, professionally and didactically the yawning gap between conference and liaison interpreting ought to be reconsidered and bridged; that concepts should be redefined, and that a great deal can be learnt from the experience of the ‘older’ field. This article shares that view and hopes to contribute to this ongoing debate.