Asian Association for Language Assessment Conference 2026

Dear colleagues,

We are looking forward to welcoming you to the 12th International Conference of the Asian Association for Language Assessment (AALA 2026), which will be held at the City University of Macau from 18–21 September 2026.

As the conference draws nearer, we would like to share several important updates to help you plan your visit and make the most of your conference experience.

The conference officially begins on 18 Septemberwith a series of optional pre-conference workshops, followed by a complimentary Welcome Reception for all registered delegates. The main conference programme, featuring plenary addresses, parallel paper presentations, symposiums and poster sessions, will take place on 19–20 September. The conference banquet on the evening of 19 September is available as an optional addition to your registration. The conference concludes on 21 September with a complimentary post-conference workshop, which is open to all registered participants.

Our pre-conference workshops (18 September afternoon) include:

• Assessing English Language Students with Specific Learning Difficulties, presented by Professor Dina Tsagari, focusing on inclusive assessment practices, Universal Design for Learning, and practical strategies for supporting learners with diverse educational needs.
• Validity and Validation in Language Assessment, led by Dr Gwan-Hyeok Im, providing an accessible introduction to contemporary argument-based approaches to validation for teachers, graduate students, and early-career researchers.
• Unpacking Deep Learning and Neural Networks for Language Assessment Research, led by Dr Yuanyue Hao, offering a hands-on introduction to artificial intelligence and deep learning applications in language assessment research, with practical demonstrations using Python. No prior programming experience is required.

Following the conference, all registered participants are invited to attend the complimentary post-conference workshop on 21 September morning, Item Analysis and Test Equating in the Age of AI, presented by Professor Quan Zhang. This workshop introduces practical approaches to item analysis, Rasch-based test equating, and the use of Rasch-GZ software, with opportunities for participants to analyse their own assessment data.

Whether you are an established researcher, language teacher, assessment practitioner, or postgraduate student, these workshops provide valuable opportunities to expand your methodological expertise, explore emerging developments in the field, and engage in discussions with leading scholars.

Further details about the workshops are available on our website: https://aalaconference.com/workshops.html 

Finally, we would like to announce that we have extended the Early-Bird Registration deadline to 31 July 2026. We encourage you to register before this date to take advantage of the reduced registration rates.

Registration and hotel information are available via:

We look forward to welcoming colleagues from across the world to Macau this September for stimulating academic exchange, professional development, and networking.