Every year, the IATEFL Annual Conference 2026 becomes a global meeting point where English language educators pause, reflect, and re-imagine their practice. In April 2026, this powerful tradition continues in Brighton, United Kingdom, and UzTEA is pleased to share that we are arranging a group trip for our members and community to be part of this experience.

Taking place from 21–24 April 2026, with pre-conference events on 20 April, IATEFL 2026 will bring together educators from dozens of countries — teachers, trainers, researchers, authors, and education leaders — all driven by a shared purpose: improving how English is taught, learned, and experienced worldwide.

What Makes IATEFL Special?

IATEFL is not just a conference you attend — it is a professional space you belong to. Across four days, conversations move naturally from large plenary halls to small discussion rooms, from structured sessions to spontaneous exchanges over coffee. Ideas born in classrooms in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas meet, clash, evolve, and return home transformed.

For many educators, IATEFL becomes a moment to:

• Reconnect with why they became teachers
• Gain fresh perspectives on familiar classroom challenges
• Discover emerging research and practice shaping the future of ELT
• Feel part of a truly global professional community

It is as much about inspiration and identity as it is about methodology.

Why Brighton?

Brighton is a city known for openness, creativity, and dialogue — values that mirror the spirit of IATEFL itself. With the conference hosted at the Brighton Centre on the seafront, learning continues both inside and outside the venue: in walking discussions, shared meals, and informal meet-ups that often become the most memorable moments of the week.

Travelling Together as UzTEA

Forming a UzTEA delegation, we aim to make this international experience more connected and meaningful. Travelling together allows participants to:

• Share expectations before the conference
• Reflect collectively during the event
• Support one another as first-time or returning IATEFL attendees
• Represent Uzbekistan as an engaged and growing ELT community

For many teachers, this will be a first global conference — and going as a group makes that step more confident and accessible.

At this stage, UzTEA is gathering interest and preparing guidance related to participation. Practical details — including registration timelines, travel planning, and coordination — will be shared step by step. All official updates and next information will be published here:

https://t.me/uzteauz

The Uzbekistan Teachers of English Association (UzTEA) and ETS Global B.V. have officially signed a Strategic Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking an important step forward in strengthening English language teaching and assessment practices in Uzbekistan.

The agreement reflects a shared vision to support teachers, promote assessment literacy, and expand access to internationally recognized professional development opportunities.

What This Partnership Means

Through this cooperation, UzTEA and ETS Global will work together to:

• Support teacher professional development through workshops, webinars, and training sessions
• Develop Training-of-Trainers (ToT) programs to build national teaching capacity
• Promote TOEFL iBT® assessment literacy in a responsible, non-commercial manner
• Encourage research and academic collaboration in English language teaching
• Strengthen teacher communities through conferences and professional events, including activities linked to UzTEA’s 30th anniversary in 2026

This MoU is not just about programs — it is about long-term impact. Combining ETS Global’s international expertise with UzTEA’s strong national teacher network, the partnership aims to ensure that educators across Uzbekistan are better equipped to guide learners toward global academic and professional pathways.

The partnership sets the foundation for new learning opportunities, stronger assessment practices, and a more connected professional teaching community nationwide. As UzTEA moves toward celebrating 30 years of teacher leadership in 2026, this collaboration represents another milestone in its mission to empower educators and elevate English language education across Uzbekistan.

On 14 October 2025, at the International Hotel Tashkent (Azimut Grand Hotel), the Uzbekistan Teachers of English Association (UzTEA) proudly hosted the TOEFL Educators Forum & MatchED Expo 2025 — a national platform uniting expert, government representatives, and leading educators to explore the latest trends, tools, and success strategies in English proficiency assessment. Centered on the forum theme, “Perspectives on English Proficiency Assessment,” the event addressed one of the most critical priorities in modern education: aligning teaching, assessment, and learner outcomes with international standards.

The Forum featured engaging sessions and workshops delivered by a diverse group of national and international speakers, including Anna Gutkowska, Darya Nelidova, Barno Mukimova, Shokhrukh Olimov, and Dilmurod Sharifov. The workshops generated a renewed sense of creativity and confidence, particularly among early-career and young educators. As many participants noted, the energy of the sessions reinforced a simple truth:

great teaching begins with curiosity, courage, and care — qualities that truly shape the next generation of learners.

The TOEFL Educators Forum is a joint initiative built on strong collaboration between key education stakeholders. The 2025 edition was organized in partnership with: ETS (Educational Testing Service), UzTEA, TopScore - Test Center and GlobalPass. Together, these partners ensured a program that balanced international expertise with local educational needs.

Beyond assessment, the Forum expanded its scope to global education opportunities. Participants benefited from seminars led by NYU Abu Dhabi, SAT Makon, and Erasmus+ Uzbekistan, which explored:

• International study and exchange pathways
• Scholarship preparation and application strategies
• Standardized testing success and academic readiness

These sessions equipped both educators and students with practical knowledge to support international academic mobility and long-term career planning.

A key highlight of the Forum was the discussion of UzTEA’s expanding strategic partnerships. Through collaboration with GlobalPass, new academic programs and services will soon be available for teachers, including consultation support for visa processes and academic mobility planning. Equally important was UzTEA’s cooperation with TopScore, focused on advancing teacher assessment and professional excellence. This partnership will soon introduce:

• TOEFL Teacher Trainer certifications
• Exclusive promotional codes for future TOEFL exams
• New professional development pathways for educators nationwide

These initiatives mark a significant step toward systematic teacher upskilling aligned with international benchmarks.

All the success of the Forum would not have been possible without the dedication of volunteer students from “Millat Umidi” University and the WeTEACH project. Their teamwork, professionalism, and enthusiasm played a vital role in delivering a smooth and welcoming experience for all participants. UzTEA extends sincere appreciation to every volunteer whose time and belief brought the Forum to life.

As we look ahead, UzTEA proudly moves toward celebrating 30 years of teacher leadership in 2026, and toward many more stories of collaboration, innovation, and impact yet to come.

For more information about the Forum, visit toeflforum.uz.