Pictures by Nur Syuhada Mohd Radzi dan Unifilm
PENANG, 25 August 2025: Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), in collaboration with Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Penang, successfully co-hosted the 11th International Conference of the Asian Association for Language Assessment (AALA2025).
Held from 23–25 August 2025 at USM Penang, the event carried the theme “Language Assessment in the Global South” and brought together around 200 delegates from across Asia and beyond. It marked a historic milestone as Malaysia’s first time hosting the prestigious AALA conference.
The opening ceremony was officiated by Professor Dr. Zainal Amin Ayub, Deputy Director-General of Higher Education (Academic and Research), who represented the Minister of Higher Education, Dato’ Seri Dr. Zambry Abdul Kadir. In his address, he emphasised the Ministry’s aspiration for Malaysia’s language assessment practices to be fair, valid and innovative, while aligning with international standards and supporting the nation’s vision for educational excellence.
The three-day conference featured distinguished keynote speakers such as Prof. Kunnan, Prof. Atta Gebril, Assoc. Prof. Vahid Aryadoust, and AALA President Dr. Quynh Nguyen, alongside numerous international experts, presenters, and researchers. Key discussions and presentations underscored the need for authenticity and contextual relevance in language assessment and testing, particularly in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), to ensure that assessments remain valid, reliable and meaningful for learners.
“The discussions at AALA2025 underscored the importance of authentic, contextualised, and innovative assessment practices in strengthening educational pathways. We hope that Malaysia’s hosting of this conference will not only foster stronger international collaboration in research but also serve as a catalyst for advancing language assessment in Malaysia and the wider region,” said Dr. Noor Asbahan, UUM’s representative, in her reflections on the event.
The successful hosting of AALA2025 has not only placed Malaysia on the global map of language assessment research but also reinforced the country’s commitment to educational innovation and collaboration in the field. – Noor Asbahan Shahizan
