Prof. Dr. Jesus Garcia Laborda
Full Prof. of Language Education // C.U. de Didáctica de la Lengua y la Literatura
Dean of College of Education // Decano/a de la Facultad de Educación
Universidad de Alcalá
C. Madrid, 1, 19001 Guadalajara
(34) 949 20 97 36- College of Education
Keynote Title: “Strategies for Supporting Foreign Language Teachers’ wellbeing”
Biography: Dr. García Laborda holds a degree in English Philology (1988, Complutense University of Madrid), a Master’s in ESL (University of Georgia), a Master’s in Comparative Literature (University of Wisconsin), a PhD in English Philology, and a European Doctorate in Education (Complutense University of Madrid). He has extensive teaching and research experience, including visiting positions at Penn State University and the University of Antwerp, as well as teaching engagements in Lithuania, Cyprus, Turkey, Colombia, and Brazil. Since 2019, he has served as Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Alcalá and previously directed its Department of Modern Philology (2016–2019). Dr. Laborda has over 270 publications, leads the RELTS research group, and specializes in language teaching, assessment, educational technology, and bilingual education. He is president of the European Association of Languages for Specific Purposes.
Abstract: Foreign language teachers face unique challenges, including cultural adaptation, workload stress, and emotional exhaustion. Developing their wellbeing is essential for maintaining motivation, job satisfaction, and teaching effectiveness. This paper explores practical strategies to enhance the wellbeing of foreign language educators through emotional resilience, professional support, and self-care techniques. Key approaches include mindfulness practices, peer collaboration, workload balance, and institutional support systems. Additionally, leveraging technology and flexible teaching methods can reduce burnout and foster engagement. The study highlights the role of continuous professional development and intercultural competence in creating a fulfilling teaching experience. By prioritizing the mental and emotional health of foreign language teachers, institutions can ensure a more sustainable, productive, and inspiring educational environment. This research provides actionable insights for educators, administrators, and policymakers committed to fostering a supportive work culture in language education.
Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Uzunboylu
University of Kyrenia, Cyprus
Head of Special Education Department
Kyrenia – North Cyprus
Keynote Title: “Technologies that are pedagogically innovative and used to teach English to university students”
Biography: Prof. Dr. Huseyin Uzunboylu higher education career began by winning the Anatolia University, Department of Communication and Planning on Education in Turkey. And after he had completed his preparatory education in one year and he completed his undergraduate degree in 1991. Prof. Dr. Huseyin Uzunboylu started his graduate education in Ankara University, the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in 1993 and graduated in 1995. He was accepted into the doctoral program in the same university, Educational Technology Department of Educational Sciences in 1995 and he completed his PhD degree in 2002. In 2003, he became an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technology at the Near East University, he was an Associate Professor in 2005 in Ataturk Faculty of Education, and in December 2010, with respect to the members of juries he was appointed as a full professor. After doctoral studies he started working at the Near East University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences Department of Psychology in 1996 and he taught courses in educational sciences and research methods. He coordinated of ‘Pedagogy Certificate Program which was conducted by the University from 1997 to 1999, and since he was Chairman of the Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technology from 2004 to 2013. From 2013 to 2018, he served as a Dean of Faculty of Education in Near East University.
From 23 October 2019, he worked as a member of Higher Education Planning, Supervision, Accreditation and Coordination Board by the President of North Cyprus (TRNC) to 1 April 2024. Prof. Dr. Uzunboylu has five academic books published by Turkey’s respected publishing firms; he has supervised 24 doctoral and 63 master’s theses up to now. His 119 articles have indexing in Scopus and these articles took 1576 Citations by 1,278 documents. His H-Index 19 in Scopus. Until now, He was invited to many international conferences as keynote speaker.
He graduated with a second doctorate on “special education” in February in 2023.
He is honorary of the Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences; also, Prof. Dr. Uzunboylu serves as the boards of many journals refereeing within the searching in the Social Sciences Citation Index. Since 2004, he has been on the list as founders, and he is president of the Cyprus Educational Sciences Association (KEB-DER). In 2010, Prof. Dr. Uzunboylu had a major role representing KEB-DER and put effort into being a full member of the European Educational Research Association and World Educational Research Association.
Dr. Sonila Daiu
University Metropolitan Tirana, Albania
Keynote Title: “To be announced”
Biography: Sonila Daiu is the Dean of Students and a Lecturer at University Metropolitan Tirana, where she is responsible for the management and coordination of academic and social activities, alumni relations, and student admissions. Her work encompasses academic and social support, policy development, campus enhancement, collaboration with student organizations, administrative duties, and monitoring student performance.
Dr. Daiu holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Language (2002) from the Department of English, Aleksandër Xhuvani University, Elbasan, and a Postgraduate specialization in Methodology-Linguistics (2009) from the University of Tirana. She earned her Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of Tirana in 2016.
Her academic expertise focuses on public communication, linguistics, and English for Specific Purposes (ESP), particularly in domains such as English for Business, Engineering, and Academic Purposes. Dr. Daiu also has substantial experience mentoring students in entrepreneurship and the startup sector, offering guidance in ideation, structuring, and implementation. Her research interests include corpus linguistics, language correctness in both native and foreign languages, and the application of technological advancements to language and writing studies.
Dr. Daiu has presented her research at numerous national and international conferences and has published extensively in her areas of expertise. She is also actively involved in Erasmus+ projects.
Prof. Dr. Gökmen Dağli
Vice Rector and Dean of Faculty of Education
University of Kyrenia- Kyrenia
North Cyprus
Keynote Title: “Sustainable Development Objectives and Education with Strategic Planning”
Biography: He was born on May 17, 1968, in Nicosia. He completed his secondary and high school education at Nicosia Turkish High School in 1986. He graduated from the Military Academy, Management and Organization Department in 1990. He also continued his second undergraduate education at Middle East Technical University, Department of Computer Engineering. In 2004, he completed his master’s program with thesis in the field of Educational Management, Planning, Supervision and Economics. In 2009, he graduated from the Near East University Educational Management, Supervision, Planning and Economics doctoral program. He started his professional life by giving lectures on National Security issues between 1998-2008. Since 2011, he has been the Head of the Department of Educational Management Supervision Economics and Planning at the Faculty of Education at Near East University, and since 2016, he has been the Dean and Vice Rector of the University of Kyrenia, Faculty of Education. He teaches courses such as Strategic Planning, School Experience, Teaching Principles and Methods, Educational Management, Introduction to Educational Sciences, Philosophy of Education, Management Theories and Processes, Educational Economics and Planning. Gökmen Dağlı serves as a referee board member in international journals and has international books, many articles and research projects.
