Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU), Foreign Languages and English Preparatory School (FLEPS) organized a workshop event titled “10th FLEPS Workshop Festival” with the theme of “Bridging Worlds with Compassion: Mediation, Methodologies and Meaningful Technology in ELT”. The workshop took place at the Rauf Raif Denktaş Culture and Congress Center.
Total of 205 participants from 19 different institutions took part in the event. The highest level of participation was from the Eastern Mediterranean University, while International Cyprus University, Istanbul Technical University, and Bahçeşehir University also taking part. Recognized as one of the most widely attended academic gatherings in the region, the festival held a prominent place in the field of English Language Teaching (ELT).
The inauguration of the event was carried out by Assist. Prof. Dr. Mutlu Kale, Director of EMU FLEPS. Moreover, FLEPS academic personnel member Assist. Prof. Dr. Ayşegül Sallı served as the general coordinator of the event which featured 14 presentations and 6 interactive workshops delivered by 23 speakers from 7 different institutions.
The opening speech of the event was delivered by Steve O’Farrell, Senior Learning Consultant at Pearson. In his presentation, titled “Building Bridges: From AI Integration to Empathy,” O’Farrell examined the connection between artificial intelligence and human empathy and challenged the audience with the question: What is it that teachers provide which AI cannot? His speech prompted insightful conversations about maintaining a balance between technological innovation and the essential human element in education.
Throughout the sessions, various topics such as the use of AI tools in improving verbal skills, integrating technology within learning goals, creating psychologically safe environment in the classes and, cultural experiences of African students in higher education were discussed. Duygu Özler’s session, which explored the integration of compassion-centered communication into ELT teaching practices, attracted considerable attention and engagement from participants.
The event, built on the concept of “mediation,” emphasized its significance not just as a term found in CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) documents, but also as a powerful instructional strategy that helps students navigate and overcome language, cultural, and emotional challenges.
During the closing remarks, emphasis was put on the significance of collaboration between institutions, continuous professional development of educators and, the importance of approaching new technologies with both critical awareness and empathy.
Marking its 30th year, the Norwich Institute for Language Education (NILE) reaffirmed its dedication to both innovative and compassion-focused teaching by backing the 10th FLEPS Workshop Festival.