Shifting Power in Language Learning and Applied Linguistics with GenAI

Organised as three schools, the Faculty works across a range of disciplines including education, childhood and youth, health and social care, youth work, social work, languages and applied linguistics, nursing, and sport and fitness.Privacy Notice - Open University Events booked through Eventbrite (pdf)

Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies, The Open University

A conference at The Open University UK, School of Languages and Applied Linguistics, in Milton Keynes and online on 13-14 November 2025

The Open University

This hybrid event will bring together cutting-edge research, innovative practices, and theoretical perspectives on the ethical and responsible integration of AI in the learning and teaching of languages and cultures and applied linguistics. The conference theme draws inspiration from the <a href="https://shiftingpower.kmi.open.ac.uk/" title="https://shiftingpower.kmi.open.ac.uk/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Shifting Powers project</a> which itself was inspired by the thinking of Pratyusha Kalluri of the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02003-2" title="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02003-2" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Radical AI Network</a>. Asking whether AI is good or fair is not the right question, she holds. We have to look at how it “shifts power”, ideally, as we propose for our context, in the direction of the languages and (applied) linguistics learners.The event will be highly relevant for researchers, educators, learners and other languages and applied linguistics practitioners alike.The primary language of the conference will be English, and proposals should be submitted in English. However, in alignment with the Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Access (EDIA) principles that underpin this event, we encourage the inclusive and innovative use of multiple languages within conference sessions. Please note that interpretation/translation services will not be provided. All abstract submissions, however, should be in English and will undergo a double-blind peer review process. Authors will be notified of acceptance in time to register by the registration deadline.The ticket will allow user to particate at the 2 day conference on Thursday 13 November 12-5pm and Friday 14 November 10am-4pm.Both in-person and virtual attendance will be available. One of the parallel strands will be completely online and open to both online and onsite attendees. The remaining parallel strands will be onsite and open to onsite attendees only.