The British Council has announced that it will host its prestigious New Directions Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, from September 24 to 26, 2024.
This marks the first time the conference will take place in Africa, bringing together the professional language testing and learning community to address key challenges and trends impacting education and assessment systems in Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.
The New Directions Conference aims to showcase innovative approaches to language testing and policy, placing scholars and practitioners from Sub-Saharan Africa on the global stage of language learning and assessment.
This year’s theme, “Rethinking Policy and Practice for English in Complex Linguistic Landscapes,” will guide discussions on various critical topics.
Key focus areas will include shaping assessment policies to better serve multilingual communities, exploring the intersection of English and modern African identities, addressing the opportunities and challenges of multilingualism, and examining the role of technology in language assessment and learning across the continent.
The two-day event is expected to draw over 200 participants from 18 countries, featuring a robust agenda with insights from leading experts in language and assessment. The conference will be inaugurated by Kate Ewart-Biggs, Deputy CEO of the British Council, alongside Tom Porter, Country Director for Kenya, and Lucy Pearson, the newly appointed Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa.
Prominent speakers and panelists at the conference will include Dr. David Njengere from the Kenya National Examinations Council, Prof. Leketi Makalela of the University of the Witwatersrand, Prof. Barry O’Sullivan from the British Council, and Dr. Harry Kuchah Kuchah from the University of Birmingham, among others.
Keshav Sreedharan, Regional Director of Exams at the British Council, emphasized the conference’s focus on the evolving role of English in a rapidly changing, digitally enabled communication landscape. “We will discuss necessary competencies for the future and explore potential reforms in language education policy across Kenya and the wider Sub-Saharan Africa region,” he stated.
Tom Porter added, “The New Directions Conference serves as a dynamic platform for collaboration and innovation, empowering educational institutions. By uniting educators, policymakers, and experts, we reinforce our commitment to enhancing educational outcomes in the region, supported by our longstanding partnership with the Ministry of Education.”
