Rethinking language assessment for a changing world

English language testing today must respond to two parallel shifts: the transformation of pedagogical models within higher education and the evolving definition of English proficiency in an increasingly digital and globalised world. A THE webinar, held in partnership with the Oxford Test of English, explored the key components for effective language assessment and strategies for ensuring that test preparation translates to professional, academic and social success among students.

“With new ways of delivering and interacting with content, the traditional academic cycle is disrupted in some ways,” said Anthony Green, director of research for English assessment at Oxford University Press (OUP). “There are many new ways of accessing academic material that are not reflected in tests that have been around for many years. There is a lot of scope for new approaches to assessment that better reflect the changing nature of higher education.”

The webinar discussion featured key findings from a 2026 white paper published by THE in partnership with OUP, titled The future of English proficiency testing: why universities are rethinking language assessment.

“We want our students to be able to participate in their education at a high level,” said Michael Voegerl, director for international admissions and recruitment at the University of New Mexico in the US. Voegerl describes English readiness as a student’s ability to understand English in a variety of contextual settings, such as concepts shared verbally, in writing and during lectures.

The 2020 companion volume of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages explores concepts such as mediation and plurilingual and pluricultural competence. The integrated use of skills such as language proficiency, negotiation of meaning and cognitive abilities is crucial in such contexts, said Hanan Khalifa, a member of the Egyptian Presidential Advisory Council of Scientists and Experts. A shift towards culturally responsive assessments, which minimise cultural bias and focus on learners’ actual language proficiency rather than their familiarity with specific cultural contexts, could help tests evaluate the complex linguistic abilities students need in a globalised world, she added.

Capturing a wide range of skills authentically calls for an integrated approach to testing, the webinar panellists said. However, this may present practical challenges around test format, duration and flexibility.

Hannah Jones, director of English language education at the University of Edinburgh in the UK and chair of the British Association of Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes, said that there needs to be more peer-reviewed research on the effectiveness of widely used test formats and tasks. “It would help to have a clear evidence base for what tasks are truly predictive of success in authentic contexts,” she said. Jones also noted that accessibility is a key consideration for the University of Edinburgh when recognising new language tests. The institution ensures that a variety of test options are available to applicants from different backgrounds and works with bespoke test providers to offer trauma-informed testing for applicants who have survived difficult circumstances.

The panellists discussed ways to mitigate the stress associated with test conditions, which may undermine performance for some test takers. “As human beings, we get anxious of what we do not know,” said Khalifa. Providing more information about the assessment experience, such as seating arrangements and what to expect during the test, can increase familiarity and ease anxiety for some test takers.

Reframing language testing as part of a wider portfolio of evidence in admissions could help learners place less importance on test performance and focus more on developing the abilities they need to succeed in higher education, the panel concluded.

The panel:

• Anthony Green, director of research for English assessment, Oxford University Press
• Hannah Jones, director of English language education, University of Edinburgh and chair, British Association of Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes
• Hanan Khalifa, member, Egyptian Presidential Advisory Council of Scientists and Experts
• Sreethu Sajeev, branded content deputy editor, Times Higher Education (chair)
• Michael Voegerl, director for international admissions and recruitment, University of New Mexico

Find out more about the Oxford Test of English suite by Oxford University Press.