Activities

The 9th Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) International Conference was held in Munich, Germany, from April 15 to 17, 2026, hosted by the Goethe-Institut. This year's theme, "Responsible Language Assessment to Empower Learners," drew nearly 400 experts and scholars from the fields of language assessment and education worldwide. The event was particularly significant, for it coincided with the 25th anniversary of the publication of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

The Language Training & Testing Center (LTTC) has been actively participating in international academic exchanges to stay at the forefront of the development of language assessment. In addition to presenting research, the LTTC also served as a sponsor during the event and used the exhibition area to highlight the features and quality of Taiwan's two major English proficiency tests:

• The General English Proficiency Test (GEPT)
• The Best Test of English Proficiency (BESTEP)

The primary goal was to promote international recognition of these assessments and support Taiwanese students in using their scores for overseas exchange programs and degree applications.

▲ The conference venue and LTTC's exhibition visuals for promoting international recognition for the GEPT and BESTEP.

This year's conference focused on critical issues including social justice, learner agency, AI and technological applications, and multimodal communication skills. These discussions reflect a global shift in language assessment from traditional measurement-oriented approaches toward value-oriented practices that prioritize fairness, inclusion, and learner development. The conference also featured assessment case studies in multiple languages—such as Arabic, Portuguese, Swedish, and Chinese—underscoring a trend toward diversity and localization.

▲ CEO Sherry Hsinyin Lee, Deputy CEO Jessica Rowwhei Wu, and Director General for R&D Rachel Yifen Wu pictured with the conference poster.

The LTTC team presented two significant research outcomes:

1. Reforming Taiwan's Teacher Certification in Teaching Chinese: Validity, Fairness, and Accountability
   • This presentation shared the results of a three-year study commissioned by the Ministry of Education.
   • Key initiatives included reconfiguring written exam subjects and establishing item banks to streamline the test-development process.
   • Efforts also focused on enhancing scoring reliability and validity, as well as developing performance-based teaching components to assess pedagogical design and classroom teaching competence.
2. Applying AI to Self-Assessment Platforms: The Development of "GEPT iPrep"
   • The LTTC shared its experience using the GEPT test data to train AI scoring models.
   • The platform provides learners with personalized diagnostic feedback.
   • The presentation highlighted the interdisciplinary collaboration among language assessment experts, teachers, and AI engineers.

The LTTC's research in the field of Chinese language assessment is relatively rare at international conferences, and it earned high levels of attention and praise from attendees. Participants also commended the GEPT for integrating AI technology with learning-oriented assessment principles to provide personalized resources that support both self-assessment and autonomous learning.

▲ Prof. Barry O'Sullivan OBE, Director of English Language Assessment Research and Development at the British Council, leading a delegation to meet with the LTTC team.

▲ Dr. Nick Saville, Chair of ALTE, pictured with the LTTC team.

▲ Director General for R&D Rachel Yifen Wu and Deputy CEO Jessica Rowhwei Wu presenting the research results of the Chinese teacher certification reform project.

▲ Director Vivian Chingchia Chang and Special Assistant May Tungmei Ma introducing GEPT iPrep, Taiwan's AI-powered language learning platform, and its future prospects.