The International Conference on Language Development and Assessment (ICLDA 2025) was successfully held from October 31 to November 2 on Zijingang Campus of Zhejiang University.
The conference was organized by the School of International Studies, Zhejiang University, and Zhejiang University Research Center for Language Development and Assessment. Under the theme “Language Assessment and Beyond: A Multi-disciplinary Dialogue”, the event brought together over 130 participants, including scholars, educators, and students from institutions such as Iowa State University, the University of Edinburgh, Cambridge University Press & Assessment, Zhejiang University, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Shandong University, Ocean University of China, Southern University of Science and Technology, and Nanchang University. Participants from diverse fields, including language testing, foreign language education, artificial intelligence, and educational technology, engaged in in-depth discussions on frontier issues and future directions in language development and assessment in the era of digital intelligence.
The morning of November 1, 2025 witnessed the opening ceremony of the conference. Professor HE Lianzhen, Vice Chair of Zhejiang University Development Committee and Director of Research Center for Language Development and Assessment, and Professor QU Wensheng, Dean of the School of International Studies delivered opening remarks. The opening ceremony was chaired by Professor MIN Shangchao, Deputy Dean of the School.
The conference featured keynote speeches by Professor Gary Ockey of Iowa State University, Professor Holly Branigan of the University of Edinburgh, and Dr. HUANG Yan of Cambridge University Press & Assessment. From different perspectives, these lectures explored hot topics and frontier directions in language development and assessment in the digital age.
Professor Gary Ockey delivered a speech titled “Better Connecting Learning and Assessment with Dynamic Assessment and Gen-AI” moderated by Professor HE Lianzhen.
Professor Holly Branigan delivered a lecture on “Imitate to Accumulate: Mechanisms of Alignment and Their Role in Language Development”, moderated by Professor WANG Min.
Dr. HUANG Yan gave a keynote address on “Advances in AI for High-Stakes ESL Marking”, moderated by Associate Professor LI Hang.
In response to the age of artificial intelligence, the conference organized two special panel discussions, bringing together distinguished experts and scholars from China and abroad to engage with themes “Large Language Models Empowering Foreign Language Teaching” and “AI Empowering Language Testing”. These sessions explored the opportunities and prospects of AI in language development and assessment from an interdisciplinary perspective.
The first session, themed “Large Language Models in Foreign Language Teaching”, was moderated by Professor TENG Lin from the School of International Studies. Researcher CHEN Jingyuan from the College of Education, Researcher LIU Zemin from the College of Computer Science and Technology, and Professor TENG Lin delivered lectures on topics including “Simulating Students with Different Cognitive Levels Using Large Language Models”, “Development and Validation of a Specialized Large Language Model for German Language Education”, and “Human-Machine Collaboration in AI-Enhanced Language Learning”. These lectures explored cutting-edge applications and innovative practices of large language models in language education.
The second session themed “Artificial Intelligence in Language Testing” was moderated by Professor XU Ying from South China University of Technology. Professor XU Ying, Associate Professor LI Minzi from Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Associate Professor ZOU Run from Southern Medical University, and Associate Professor LI Xuelian from Guangdong University of Foreign Studies delivered insightful lectures on four key topics: “Application of Large Language Models in Large-Scale English Speaking Tests”, “Integrating Gamification into AI-Driven Educational Scenarios”, “Reconstructing Literary Competence Models from the Perspective of Foreign Language Education Research”, and “English Critical Thinking Writing Tasks: A Rater's Perspective”.
On the afternoon of November 1, panel sessions were held across five venues. Senior scholars, young faculty members, and postgraduate students in the field of language development and assessment presented a series of cutting-edge research findings, offering new perspectives for the discipline. Attendees engaged in in-depth discussions, fostering a lively and dynamic atmosphere throughout the sessions.
Later that afternoon, the 2025 International Conference on Language Development and Assessment concluded successfully. The closing ceremony was moderated by Professor TENG Lin, Deputy Director of Zhejiang University Research Center for Language Development and Assessment, with closing remarks delivered by Professor WANG Min, also Deputy Director of the Center.
With this, the 2025 International Conference on Language Development and Assessment has been successfully concluded. The conference featured frontier topics, in-depth discussions, and fruitful outcomes. Participants engaged in visionary dialogues on future development pathways, providing both theoretical insights and practical guidance for navigating the opportunities and challenges in the digital intelligence era, contributing to the high-quality advancement of foreign language education and assessment in China.
School of International Studies, Zhejiang University
Research Center for Language Development and Assessment, Zhejiang University
November 5, 2025
Translated by YU Jinbo, Proofread by XU Xueying
