British Council’s conference discusses English assessment challenges

Islamabad:New Directions South Asia 2025, British Council’s flagship conference on language testing and assessment, made its South Asia debut on 21 February bringing together experts from Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

The two-day conference, which commenced with a ceremony featuring senior representatives from the British Council, featured in-depth discussions on the challenges and solutions in English language assessment, followed by an engaging Q&A session with Professor Barry O’Sullivan OBE, Director of English Language Research at the British Council.

Professor Barry delivered the keynote address on the conference theme ‘Technology and tradition: The changing face of assessment in English language learning systems.’ He said the launch of New Directions in South Asia marked a significant milestone in the journey of driving innovation in English language assessment worldwide.

"The rich discussions that unfolded here demonstrate how bringing together thought-leaders, educators and policymakers under one roof creates meaningful dialogue on the intersection of technology and tradition. This collaborative platform ensures that our assessment practices continue to evolve in step with learners' needs in today's rapidly changing world," he said.

Amanda Ingram, Exams Director Pakistan, British Council said it was inspiring to see this landmark conference come to life, bringing together such diverse expertise from across the region and beyond to address the evolving landscape of English language assessment.

"By hosting New Directions in South Asia we convened the region's thought leaders to shape the future of English language assessment, empowering the wider South Asian region to compete, collaborate and thrive on the world stage. With this, we continue to strengthen our mission of empowering learners, educators and institutions to thrive in an increasingly multilingual and technology-driven world."

The conference featured two plenary sessions, four panel discussions, and 30+ parallel sessions. Bringing together 250 individuals, this two-day event emphasised enhancing employability through English language skills, harnessing AI to revolutionise English education, implementing effective assessment strategies for young learners and integrating English within diverse multilingual education contexts.

The discussions were centred around four key strands, including English for Employability: Addressing the role of English in employment and how assessment systems can meet employers’ needs; Artificial Intelligence in English Education: Exploring examples of AI applications in English language education; Assessing Young Learners: Investigating all aspects of assessment and its crucial role in the holistic development and learning trajectory of young learners, and the Role of English in Multilingual Education Contexts: Highlighting English language assessment policy and practice in multilingual education contexts.