Our Chair of the IATEFL Digital Committee, Georgia Papamichailidou and President, Christopher Graham recently spoke at the 14th ELT Malta Conference from 24 – 25 October 2025 at the Old University in Valletta.
Georgia delivered a talk titled The Diary of a Green Leader, as part of our ongoing Action for Green IATEFL initiative. Her session focused on practical techniques that international education leaders can apply within their institutions to promote sustainability, not only of resources, but also of staff wellbeing and the wider environment. She explored three key dimensions of values-based leadership: intergenerational responsibility, leadership decisions, and emotional sustainability.
Chris did a plenary session entitled (What’s So Funny ’Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding?, that explored the extra benefits that come from integrating sustainability into our teaching such as developing students’ empathy, their knowledge base, and their awareness of who in society has and uses agency. Chis ran a follow-up workshop with delegates applying some of the ideas to course materials.
On October 21, IATEFL was introduced to 500 language school managers at the Encourage Education China Conference. Trustees Georgia Papamichailidou (Chair of Digital Communications) and Bethany Cagnol (Treasurer) co-presented an online session titled “Glocalizing Language Educator Development: A Developmental Trajectory from Local Praxis to Global Competence.”
Their talk explored practical strategies for supporting educators’ professional growth through the Global Reflection Framework, highlighting how reflective practice, relational understanding, and community building can transform local teaching insights into globally relevant competencies.
IATEFL warmly thanks the Encourage Education ChinaConference organizers for the invitation and for the opportunity to showcase IATEFL’s ongoing commitment to connecting and empowering language education professionals worldwide.
IATEFL was delighted to participate in the 34th IATEFL Poland International Conference, held in Łódź from 19 – 21 September 2025. We extend our sincere thanks to IATEFL Poland for the invitation and warm welcome.
IATEFL Head Office representative, Iwona Minkowska, joined the event to meet delegates and share information about the many benefits of IATEFL membership — including the discounted Association Individual Membership (AIM). This special membership category is available exclusively to members joining through our Associate teaching associations worldwide.
Reflecting this year’s conference theme, Back from the Future, which explored responsible and sustainable uses of AI and technology in ELT, IATEFL President Chris Graham delivered a well-received plenary titled How can we make sustainability in ELT more, er, sustainable? Additionally, IATEFL Learning Technology Special Interest Group (LTSIG) Committee members, Maria Diakou and Eftychis Kantarakis, presented as part of the Learning Technology stream, sharing insights into the evolving relationship between technology and language learning.
Outgoing IATEFL Poland President and conference organiser, Rob Howard, expressed his appreciation:
“We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to IATEFL President Christopher Graham for joining us at the 34th IATEFL Poland International Conference, continuing the valued tradition of welcoming nearly all past presidents throughout the years. Your presence greatly enriched the event and strengthened our shared mission. We are also deeply grateful to Iwona Minkowska from the IATEFL team for attending and actively supporting the promotion of membership in both our associations. Their efforts play an important role in cementing and building lasting cooperation and support between our organizations. We also want to thank the IATEFL LTSIG’s Maria Diakou and Eftychis Kantarakis for joining us as part of the Learning Technology theme. We look forward to next year and perhaps having more IATEFL SIGs join us.”
IATEFL is proud to continue strengthening ties with our Associates worldwide and values the opportunity to collaborate with IATEFL Poland in supporting English language professionals through shared learning, innovation, and community.
To find out more about IATEFL membership or information about becoming an IATEFL Associate, contact us via telephone: (+44) 01795 591414 or email: [email protected]
