On behalf of leadership from language centers and institutes at Michigan State University, the University of Iowa, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, and University of Wisconsin- Madison, and with funding from the Big Ten Academic Alliance Letters and Science (LAS) Deans, we are pleased to announce the 2024 Big Ten Academic Alliance Language Education Summit. The Summit is funded by the BTAA LAS Deans. 

BTAA 2024 Big Ten Language Education Summit  

Thursday, October 24-Friday, October 25, 2024 
Big Ten Conference Center, Rosemont, Illinois 

Participation in this inaugural BTAA Language Education Summit is invitation-only, with two representatives from each Big Ten Academic Alliance institution, and one leader in K-12 language education in each state in which BTAA institutions are located. University participants are either leaders of language centers or institutes, or other leaders in language education and research on campus.  

The BTAA Language Education Summit, welcoming selected K-12 state education representatives as well as university representatives from within the Big Ten, will provide a forum for 1) exchanging innovative solutions to shared challenges in a time of rapid change, and for 2) forming cross-institutional working groups focused on topics of common interest and concern. The Summit will address the following core questions:  

1. How can language centers and institutes at BTAA universities, in partnership with state-level K-12 world language leadership, advance language education and research? 

2. What are new forms of collaboration to strengthen language education that Big Ten universities and K-12 educators might engage in?  

After Summit participants are confirmed, there will be an opportunity for participants to provide input on the Summit program and specific topics.  

We look forward to sharing more information about the 2024 Big Ten Academic Alliance and to productive conversations and possible future collaboration.