PENANG, 25 August 2025 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) had recently organised the 11th International Conference of the Asian Association for Language Assessment (AALA).

With the theme “Language Assessment in the Global South,” the conference that was held from 23–25 August gathered about 200 delegates from across Asia and beyond.

This marks the first time Malaysia has hosted the AALA conference and also a milestone for USM.

Present to officiate the ceremony was the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) Deputy Director-General of Higher Education (Academic and Research), Professor Dr. Zainal Amin Ayub, representing the Minister of Higher Education, Dato’ Seri Dr. Zambry Abdul Kadir.

Others who were present included USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation, Professor Dr. Habibah A Wahab representing USM Vice-Chancellor; Dean, USM School of Languages, Literacies and Translation (SoLLaT), Professor Dr. Hazri Jamil; President, Asian Association for Language Assessment (AALA), Dr. Quynh Nguyen; AALA Executive Board members; and co-chairs from USM, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Penang, and Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) as the organising institutions.

In her opening speech, Habibah said that it is good to work together, as a strong teamwork would lead to a big impact.

At the same time, she said the platform could “empower learners, in sharing new ideas and support one another.”

“It would allow the parties involved to create more connections and establish networks that could lead to further collaborations.”

Following that, Zainal Amin in his officiating speech praised the effort from the aspect of internationalisation.

He also stated that the Ministry is aware of language assessment requirements and standards as they would determine the levels of access and mobility in education, and the success and excellence in such endeavours.

He mentioned examples of language assessments such as Malaysian University English Test (MUET) and Higher Education English Test (HEET) that the Malaysian authorities have set, while welcoming further innovations in language testing tools.

Meanwhile, the participants who came from 20 different countries, had the opportunity to engage in insightful keynote speeches, dynamic panel discussions, paper presentations, and interactive workshops, all relating to the future of language assessment.

Hosting AALA in Malaysia for the very first time has provided an invaluable platform to amplify regional voices, strengthen international collaboration, and showcase the nation’s and Penang’s cultural and academic vibrancy to the global community.

 

Other parties who were involved with USM or had provided their support in the organisation of the event included the AALA Executive Board, co-host institutions (UiTM, UKM, UUM), distinguished keynote speakers, sponsors, dedicated committee members, and student volunteers, whose efforts have ensured the success of this landmark event.

Text: Dr. Alla Baksh Mohamed Ayub Khan (Local Chair of 11th AALA, from SoLLaT, USM)/Editing: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin