The Eaquals Annual International Conference is renowned for its inclusive approach, welcoming both members and non-members to partake in its comprehensive professional development program. Attendees include center owners, directors, academic managers, teacher trainers, researchers, and teachers, making it a diverse and enriching gathering. This year, the conference took place from Thursday 11th to Saturday 13th April 2024, hosted at Ramada by Wyndham Lisbon, Portugal.

The event offered attendees a platform to delve into key themes crucial to language education, including best practices in teaching and learning, course design, CEFR & assessment, leadership & management, CPD, and AI developments in language education. We eagerly anticipated the opportunity to engage with this stimulating program and connect with colleagues from around the world.

Our institution was represented by a team of five ScOLa members:

  • Nergis Uyan, Director
  • Serkan Aras, UGE Coordinator
  • Özlem Baykan, Team Leader
  • Esra Çelik Soydan, TLDU Coordinator
  • Kezban Altuntaş Özben, TLDU Member
  • Giti Najafi, UGE Instructor

A significant moment at the conference was the transition within our leadership. Serkan Aras, our UGE Coordinator, was announced as an incoming member of the board of trustees for Eaquals, marking a pivotal milestone in his career and our institution’s involvement in the global language education community. Concurrently, Nergis Uyan, our esteemed Director, stepped down from her position after completing years of outstanding service on the board. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Serkan for this well-deserved appointment and express our deepest gratitude to Nergis for her invaluable contributions.

Prior to the conference, Nergis, Serkan, and Özlem participated in the Eaquals Inspectors CPD Sessions, while Esra and Kezban attended the Management Training Day. These pre-conference events equipped our team with valuable insights and skills, setting the stage for a fruitful conference experience.

During the conference, our institution had the privilege of delivering four presentations over two days:

An Introduction to Eaquals – Eaquals Frameworks by Nergis Uyan

 
Dusting the Development Units Off: Going Beyond Existing Practices by Esra Çelik Soydan and Kezban Altuntaş Özben

 
Leader Professional Development: Starting from the Self by Özlem Baykan, joint with Mike Riley

 
Examining Generative AI Tools in Language Education: Insights from Students and Teachers by Giti Najafi

 

Overall, our attendance at the Eaquals International Conference 2024 was an enriching experience, offering us the opportunity to learn, connect, and grow alongside educators and industry leaders from around the world. We return to our institution inspired and empowered, eager to implement new ideas and strategies for the benefit of our students and community.

Here comes some further reflection on the conference, by our UGE instructor, Giti Najafi, who delivered a compelling presentation on AI—a hot topic throughout the event.

I had the opportunity to take part in the Eaquals Conference held from 11th-13th of April 2024 in Lisbon, where one of the themes was focused on AI developments in language education.

Beginning with the plenary session, Nik Peachey presented significant concepts regarding the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) within language education. He discussed the potential of ChatGPT as a tool for conducting research in this field. The audience could see directly how to conduct research using ChatGPT by providing various instructions.

A particularly beneficial session focused on handling AI technology through effective communication strategies among corporations. Educators explored ways to navigate the integration of AI tools into language education settings, emphasizing collaboration and dialogue to address challenges and maximize benefits.

Throughout the conference, the majority of sessions centered on introducing practical applications of AI tools in teaching. These sessions provided attendees with concrete examples and strategies for incorporating AI into their teaching practices.

Attending the conference was a great chance to see how AI is being used in language education in different institutions and their systems. It also inspired me and got me thinking about how we can include AI in our undergraduate program for the next few semesters.