From October 20 to 22, 2023, the first International Conference on Language Development and Assessment (ICLDA 2023) was successfully held on Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University.
This conference, themed “Language Development and Assessment in the Digital Age”, was hosted by the School of International Studies(SIS) and the Institute for Language Development and Assessment Research at Zhejiang University. Present at the conference were over 100 guests, students and teachers from top universities and research institutions at home and abroad, including University College London, the University of Edinburgh, Lancaster University, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Tsinghua University, Fudan University, Nanjing University, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Chongqing University, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Shanghai International Studies University, and Guangdong University of Foreign Studies . The conference included keynote speeches, thematic forums, group presentations, poster exhibitions and other activities, allowing participants to fully exchange ideas and jointly explore key topics in the field of language development and assessment in the new era.
(Opening Ceremony)
At 8:00 am on the morning of October 21, the first International Conference on Language Development and Assessment (ICLDA) officially commenced. Professor HE Lianzhen, Vice President of Zhejiang University, Professor ZHANG Yan, Executive Vice Dean of School of Social Sciences, and Researcher CHU Chiheng, Deputy Director of Office of Global Engagement at Zhejiang University, delivered speeches. The opening ceremony was moderated by Professor DONG Yanping, Dean of School of International Studies, Zhejiang University.
(Keynote Speeches)
The conference featured keynote speeches by Associate Professor Talia Isaacs from University College London, Professor HE Lianzhen from Zhejiang University, Professor Thomas H. Bak from the University of Edinburgh, and Professor Luke Harding from Lancaster University. From various perspectives, these four keynote speakers extensively discussed the hot topics and frontier directions in the field of language development and assessment in the artificial intelligence era.
Associate Professor Talia Isaacs delivered a keynote speech entitled “Open Science Developments and Language Assessment Interfaces with Technology: Charting a Changing Landscape,” moderated by Professor ZOU Shen from Shanghai International Studies University (SISU).
Professor HE Lianzhen delivered a keynote speech entitled “Applying Diagnostic Assessment in AI-Assisted Language Learning,” moderated by Professor ZHANG Wenxia of Tsinghua University.
Meanwhile, Professor Thomas H. Bak gave a keynote speech entitled “Learning Chinese in the 21st Century: A cognitive neuroscientist’s perspective”, moderated by Professor YANG Jing of Zhejiang University.
Lastly, Professor Luke Harding delivered a keynote speech on “Language assessment, digital technology, and disruptive change: Steering a course for ethical practice”, moderated by Professor GU Xiangdong of Chongqing University.
(Panel Discussion)
In response to the era of artificial intelligence, the conference hosted three thematic forums where renowned experts and scholars from both domestic and international fields delved into three major themes: “Artificial Intelligence and Language Testing”, “Artificial Intelligence and Language Research and Language Education”, and “Large AI Models and Education”. These forums provided in-depth discussions from various perspectives on the opportunities and prospects of the pretesting of AI-enabled language development.
The first thematic forum, titled “Artificial Intelligence and Language Testing”, was moderated by Professor HE Lianzhen. The forum featured insightful presentations by Associate Professor Vahid Aryadoust from Nanyang Technological University, Professor LIU Jianda from Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Professor HE Lianzhen from Zhejiang University, and Dr. XI Xiaoming from the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority.
The second thematic forum, on the application of artificial intelligence technology in language research and teaching, hosted by Professor DONG Yanping from Zhejiang University, featured engaging presentations by Professor SHI Jianjun from Shanghai International Studies University, Associate Professor WANG Huashu from Beijing Foreign Studies University, and Associate Professor CAI Zhenguang from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
In the third thematic forum on Large Language Models (LLM) and education, experts and scholars in the field of artificial intelligence discussed how LLM empowers the reform and development of education and teaching. Professor ZHAO Zhou from Zhejiang University, Professor ZHANG Yue from Westlake University, Dr. GE Niyu from DAMO Academy, and Researcher WANG Wenguan from Zhejiang University delivered insightful presentations. This forum was moderated by Researcher CHEN Jingyuan from Zhejiang University.
(Sub-session)
On the afternoon of October 21, group presentations were conducted simultaneously in four panels. Senior scholars, young teachers, and graduate students in the field of language development and assessment shared a series of cutting-edge research findings, providing new research perspectives and inspiring language research and teaching. During the Q&A sessions, participants engaged in in-depth discussions on the presentations, fostering a lively atmosphere.
(Poster Exhibition)
At 9:30 a.m. on October 22, the poster exhibition commenced. Young scholars from domestic and international institutions such as Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, Fudan University, Nanjing University, Xi’an Jiaotong University, and Chongqing University shared their cutting-edge research in a visually engaging manner. The audience engaged in in-depth discussions with the poster presenters, creating a vibrant atmosphere and greatly promoting academic exchange among young scholars.
(Closing Ceremony)
At 12:20 p.m. on October 22, the first International Conference on Language Development and Assessment (ICLDA) successfully concluded. The closing ceremony was hosted by Professor LIANG Junying from School of International Studies at Zhejiang University, and Professor MIN Shangchao, Vice Dean of School of Foreign Languages at Zhejiang University delivered the closing remarks.
Amidst enthusiastic applause, the first International Conference on Language Development and Assessment (ICLDA) drew to a successful close!
School of International Studies (SIS) of Zhejiang University
Institute for Language Development and Assessment at Zhejiang University
27th October, 2023
Translated by GOH Qing and HAN Zhuojun, Proofread by XU Xueying
