SERDANG, January 9, 2026 – The Faculty of Educational Studies (FPP), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) organized the TESL Research Colloquium and Workshop from January 5 to 9, 2026, in conjunction with the visit of Honorary Visiting Professor, Professor Dr. Shawn Loewen from Michigan State University, United States.
This five-day program aims to strengthen research knowledge and skills among TESL lecturers and Bachelor's and Postgraduate students, in addition to promoting academic professional development and expanding international collaboration networks between UPM and overseas institutions.
Professor Dr. Shawn Loewen is a leading figure in the field of second language teaching and applied linguistics. He has a Scopus h-index of 35 and is listed among Stanford University's World's Top 2% Scientists based on Scopus citation impact. He is also the recipient of the 2025 PROSE Award from the Association of American Publishers (AAP). His recent publications include A Practical Guide to Second Language Teaching and Learning (2024) and the third edition of Introduction to Instructed Second Language Acquisition (2025).
According to the Head of the Department of Language and Humanities Education, FPP, Prof. Madya Dr. Lilliati Ismail, the presence of the Honorary Visiting Professor brings significant added value to the faculty's academic community. Professor Dr. Visit "Shawn Loewen is opening a direct learning space with international scholars and strengthening faculty efforts in developing high-impact research and strategic collaborations globally," he said.
The program includes a research dialog session on the direction of the study and collaboration opportunities, an academic forum, a keynote address, teaching and research workshops for Bachelor of Education TESL students, advanced workshops for postgraduate students, as well as a colloquium and research presentations by PhD TESL students who received direct feedback from Professor Dr. Shawn Loewen.
This program provides participants with exposure to the latest developments in instructed second language acquisition, task-based language teaching, and the use of technology in second language instruction. The guidance provided also helped postgraduate students in aspects of research methodology, academic writing, and determining the direction of their studies.
One of the participants, Siti Noor Farhana binti Zaipul Bahari, a first-semester PhD TESL student, described the program as a very meaningful platform. He said the presentation and discussion session with the Honorary Visiting Professor helped refine the research proposal and increase confidence in conducting the research.
Overall, the organization of this TESL Research Colloquium and Workshop reflects the Faculty of Educational Studies' ongoing commitment to providing international-standard learning experiences and empowering the quality of TESL teaching and research at UPM.