Pune— The ELT Summit 2025 was hosted by MIT Art, Design and Technology University, India and the International Society for Educational Leadership (USA, India, Australia) in proud collaboration with Cambridge University Press and Assessment, UK, on 23rd and 24th May 2025. The two days were power-packed with intellectually stimulating deliberations and enriching academic exchanges. The summit brought together a distinguished assembly of scholars, researchers, and practitioners from across the globe to explore the dynamic intersections of English Language Teaching (ELT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The summit was organized under the guidance of Hon. Prof. Dr. Mangesh Karad, Executive President, MIT ADT University and Dr. Krishnamurthy, President, ISEL. It was formally inaugurated by the Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of MIT ADT University, Prof. Dr. Rajesh S., in the presence of the Conference Chair, Dr. Tarun Patel, the Convener, Dr. Atul Patil, and Dr. Kristin Hanson. Dr. Hanson set a high scholarly tone with the opening plenary, “Linguistics and Poetics as an Antidote to the Virtual,” which highlighted the enduring value of humanistic perspectives amid technological advances. Prof. Dr. Rajesh S., Vice-Chancellor, MIT ADT University, said, “The future of education lies in our ability to harness technology while remaining deeply rooted in pedagogical empathy and learner-centric practices.”

The plenary sessions of the ELT Summit 2025 were enriched by the insights of a distinguished panel of experts from across the globe. Key speakers included Dr. Kristin Hanson, Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, USA; Dr. Huahui Zhao, Associate Professor at the University of Leeds, UK; and Eric H. Roth, Lecturer at the University of Southern California, USA. Also contributing to the discourse were Sara Davila, English Language Specialist, USA; Dr. Ilka Kostka, Associate Teaching Professor at Northeastern University, USA; and Richard Jones, Lecturer at the University of Southern California, USA. From the domain of educational publishing and assessment, the summit featured Ian Cawley, Product Manager at Cambridge University Press & Assessment; Prof. Joanna Szoke, Cambridge University Press & Assessment; and Mr. Joshua Gnanakkan, Cambridge University Press & Assessment. 

The summit’s valedictory  was further witnessed by the presence of Dr. Z. N. Patil, Professor (Retd.) and President of the ETTAI Chapter, Pune, India, and Chief Guest Dr. Aarati Mujumdar, Head of the Department of General Education at the Modern College of Business and Science, Muscat, Oman. Collectively, these luminaries contributed to a rich tapestry of scholarly dialogue, addressing the evolving intersections of AI and English language pedagogy.

The summit’s global reach was reflected in the submission of over 121 research papers and abstracts from countries including India, the USA, Canada, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Philippines, and Australia. Approximately 80 papers were rigorously selected for presentation, encompassing themes such as AI in blended and hybrid ELT classrooms, AI technology integration, empowering language education through emerging technologies, AI-related pedagogical challenges, AI applications beyond ChatGPT, and the role of AI in multilingual and multicultural settings.

One of the summit’s most memorable moments was the valedictory ceremony, during which the Lifetime Achievement Award was conferred upon Prof. Z. N. Patil, President of the ETTAI Chapter, Pune (India), by the International Society for Education Leadership (ISEL). This prestigious honour recognised his exemplary contributions to the ELT field over several decades.

While proposing a vote of thanks, Dr. Atul Patil said, “At MIT ADT University, this summit has not only showcased the synergy between AI and language education but has also reinforced our university vision of fostering collaborative knowledge-building across cultures and disciplines. He thanked ISEL and Cambridge University Press, and Assessment UK for this scholarly collaboration and the support extended by them. The inaugural ceremony was compered by Dr. Ashok Ghuge and Prof. Amisha Jaykar, while the valedictory ceremony was conducted by Prof. Sneha Waghtakar and Dr. Swapnil Shirsath.