Call for proposals

LTRC 2027 - 48th Language Testing Research Colloquium 

Ghent, Belgium | June 26-30, 2027 

We warmly invite you to participate in the 48th Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC) to be held in Ghent, Belgium in June 2027. 

Language assessment has long been informed by insights from other disciplines. In today's research climate, however, multi- and interdisciplinary engagement has become essential. Advances in artificial intelligence, psychometrics, educational measurement, sociolinguistics, migration studies, public policy, and neuroscience, to name a few, are reshaping how we design assessments, conceptualize language ability, interpret scores, and evaluate impact. 

At the same time, language assessment also plays a crucial role in interdisciplinary research, and its insights inform second language acquisition (SLA) research, educational policy, migration governance and other disciplines. The contemporary landscape requires cross-disciplinary collaboration, bridging methodological and institutional boundaries.  

Given these trends, the theme of LTRC 2027 is language assessment in interdisciplinary research. We invite proposals that explore how language assessment

  • intersects with other disciplines in theory, design, and validation;
  • contributes to and benefits from interdisciplinary research;
  • redefines constructs in response to new knowledge domains and evolutions in these
    domains;
  • engages with societal challenges or wicked problems that demand multi- and
    interdisciplinary approaches.

Potential topics

Thematically aligned submissions could focus on:

  • intersections between SLA and assessment and/or how measurement practices impact SLA research;
  • the integration of AI, computational linguistics, corpus linguistics and data science in assessment research;
  • intersections between language assessment and policy;
  • psychometric innovations inspired by other measurement sciences;
  • multimodality, multilingualism, and transdisciplinary construct development;
  • professional certification and workplace assessment;
  • legal and ethical perspectives on testing in high-stakes contexts;
  • interdisciplinary approaches to equity, fairness, justice, and social impact;
  • multidisciplinary transfer to enrich language assessment research.

Presentation categories

We welcome submissions for different formats:

Paper presentations

Paper presentations (20 minutes + 5 minutes Q&A) can be conceptual or empirical. Preference will be given to proposals related to the conference theme, but topics outside of the conference theme will be considered. Proposals not accepted as research papers may be considered as posters or works-in-progress. All paper presentations will be subject to blind peer review and fair rating analysis to compensate for rater severity.

Demos

Demonstrations (30 minutes) showcase methodological, conceptual or technical language testing innovations. Demos should be more than a product promotion and should have relevance for the wider field of language testing. Proposals should describe the goal and structure of the demo and outline how interaction with conference delegates will be ensured.

Posters

Posters will be displayed during timetabled sessions. Presenters need to be physically present during the poster sessions to discuss their work and answer questions. All posters should be printed on A1 or A0 format in portrait lay-out. Please bring printed handouts if you would like to distribute them.

Works-in-Progress (WIP)

Researchers engaged in ongoing research projects can submit a work-in-progress proposal. WIP sessions take place in small groups and offer a platform for researchers to discuss and get feedback on research designs, planned research, or research in progress. WIP sessions take one hour in a rotating format: presenters give two 30-minute talks, includign time for Q&A. Ideally, proposals will include questions about the project for the attendees to consider.

Symposia

A symposium (90 minutes) addresses a topic of scholarly interest and comprises multiple presentations that are clearly linked to each other and to the symposium topic. Symposia that fall outside of the conference theme will not be considered. Each symposium should begin with an introduction to the topic and issues of consideration, followed by individual papers offering multiple perspectives to the topic and a synthesis by a discussant. There should be adequate time for a Q&A. Symposium proposals should include a 500-word overview of the symposium topic and 300-word descriptions of individual presentations. All presenters should be named in the proposal.

Please note that the symposium deadline is earlier than the general submission deadline. All symposium submissions will be vetted and notified in the week following the symposium submission deadline. We do this so that presenters on a symposium that has not been accepted will have a chance to resubmit their abstract as an individual paper, poster or WIP.

Abstract submission

Proposals (except for symposia) should be no longer than 500 words including references, and must be accompanied by a 250-word summary. The 500-word proposal will be reviewed; only the 250-word summary will appear in the conference program. LTRC 2027 has been conceptualized as an in-person conference. We do not offer hybrid facilities. Abstracts are to be submitted to ConfTool.

Submit your abstract here

Note: one person can be listed on a maximum of four submissions.

Proposals will be evaluated according to:

  1. Significance of the topic/contribution to the field
  2. Relevance to the conference theme
  3. Appropriateness of theoretical framework
  4. Robustness of research design and methodology (for empirical studies)
  5. Clarity, organization, and sufficiency of information provided in the proposal

Note for student presenters

We welcome proposals from students in master’s or doctoral programs.

If your paper is accepted for a paper session or a symposium, you will be eligible for the Robert Lado Memorial Award for Best Graduate Student Paper, which is awarded at the end of the conference. Please note that proposals co-authored with supervisors, professors or other senior colleagues are not eligible for this award.

ILTA also offers student travel grants. Proposals for these grants may not be co-authored with faculty members.

Deadlines

  • Deadline for symposium proposals is Wednesday October 7, 2026 at 11:59 pm
  • Deadline for all other formats is Friday October 23, 2026 at 11:59 pm   

All deadlines are Anywhere on Earth, UTC-12.