Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi state, has continued to reinforce its standing as a centre of academic excellence and international engagement as the Department of Foreign Languages, in collaboration with the French Centre, successfully hosted its 2026 International Conference.
The landmark conference brought together scholars, researchers, educators, students, and language professionals from Nigeria and beyond who engaged in meaningful discussions around the theme “Contemporary Reconfiguration of the Action-Oriented Approach: Contributions, Limits, and Advances in Language Didactics Research.”
In his opening address, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Daniel Nwachukwu, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Prof. Romanus Ejiaga, said that the theme of the conference was timely and thought-provoking, noting that as educational contexts evolve with globalisation, technological advancement, and growing multilingual interactions, it is very crucial for scholars and practitioners to reassess and enhance the foundations of this approach.
He pointed out that the Action-Oriented Approach has significantly influenced language teaching by focusing on learners in meaningful social interactions.
The Vice-Chancellor further noted that AE-FUNAI is dedicated to promoting excellence in teaching, research, innovation, and international collaboration, stressing that “the conference aligns seamlessly with our strategic vision of establishing a globally competitive University that serves as a centre for intellectual exchange and transformative scholarship”.
The Head of the Department of Foreign Languages, Professor Chinwe Okolo, said the conference aimed at promoting knowledge exchange, pedagogical innovation and international collaboration.
She characterised the conference as a distinctive opportunity for scholars to explore emerging trends in language teaching and learning.
The keynote speaker, Mr. Lucas Levien, Director of the Centre de Linguistique Appliquée (CLA) at Université Marie et Louis Pasteur in Besançon, France in his speech titled “Rethinking the Action – Oriented Approach: From the Speaker as a Social Actor to the Student as a Global Actor,” challenged traditional views of language learning and advocated for a broader perspective in which language serves as a means for social action, professional growth and international collaboration.
Mr. Levien stated that the shift from structural and communicative approaches to the Action-Oriented Approach signifies a revolutionary change in education, focusing on placing learners at the heart of meaningful action.
He asserted that the pivotal question has shifted from what the learners know about a language to what they can accomplish and create with that language, stressing stressed that language learning should equip students to be active contributors in our increasingly interconnected world.
He equally discussed the increasing impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on language education, emphasizing that human skills like intercultural communication, trust-building, negotiation and emotional connection are irreplaceable, urging educators to embrace AI as a complementary tool within innovative pedagogical frameworks.
