Most BNCs are facing a multifaceted crisis that started even before the pandemic. The current state of education, particularly in language teaching, is increasingly misaligned with students' evolving needs and interests. Teachers, too, are experiencing burnout at unprecedented levels, leading to a significant exodus from the profession in search of less demanding careers.

Despite advances in educational theory and technology, the core methodologies many of us employ have remained unchanged since the communicative approach was introduced in the 70s and 80s. Even though we've integrated new technologies into our programs, including digital platforms and AI-driven tools, the fundamental teaching processes remain largely the same. Unfortunately, this stagnation is reflected in the high dropout rates among students in our language programs. Very few students complete our full courses, suggesting that something essential is missing from our approach—both inside and outside the classroom.

As BNCs, language programs are often our primary source of revenue, but they are not our only concern. We must also scrutinize the effectiveness of our other services and the administrative structures that support our centers. Now more than ever, we need an in-depth analysis of our current situation. Instead of relying solely on past best practices, we must embrace forward-thinking strategies incorporating emerging technologies like AI, adaptive learning systems, and innovative pedagogical techniques. This forward-looking approach is essential to ensuring our centers remain relevant, effective, and sustainable in the future.

This is why we are excited to invite you to the upcoming ABLA 2025 Conference, which will take place in the vibrant city of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, from June 11th to 13th, 2025. This year's conference, themed “InBNCs”, marks a significant step forward for our community as we seek to broaden our discussions and include a wider group of participants. We believe that the involvement of executive directors, Academic Directors, American Spaces Programming Coordinators, EducationUSA Advisors, and cultural directors is essential for our binational centers' continued success and growth.

Conference Highlights

The ABLA 2025 Conference will feature three days of face-to-face plenary sessions and panels led by experts on the future of education. These sessions will be complemented by hands-on workshops designed to develop new strategies that can be applied across BNCs, ensuring the sustainability and evolution of our programs.

Conference Goal

The ABLA 2025 “InBNCs” Conference aims to encourage introspection and reflection among BNCs to reinforce their individuality and refine their strategic vision. By harnessing diverse intelligences and fostering integration across programs and partnerships, the conference seeks to advance innovation while ensuring inclusion of all perspectives.

Main Topics

Our discussions will be guided by the following key concepts:

• Innovation
• Introspection
• Intelligences
• Integration
• Inclusion
• Individuality

Tracks

The conference will offer focused tracks in the following areas:

• English Teaching
• Business and Management
• American Spaces Programming

We believe your expertise and insights would significantly contribute to the success of this event, and we would be honored to have you join us. Please let us know if you can attend, and feel free to reach out with any questions.