OPTIMA.Conf_.2026.Poster_compressed

OPTIMA Annual International Conference

“Language Education and Accelerated Personality Development”

27^th June 2026, Sofia, Bulgaria  

SECOND CALL

DEAR COLLEAGUES,

The Bulgarian Association for Quality Language Services, The Technical University of Sofia, Lozanov’s Teacher Association (LITTA) and Artis School of Languages and Art are delighted to invite to yet another exciting event to be held in Sofia on 27^th of June 2026 (Saturday)

Keep the date in mind in order to be able to see and hear internationally prominent professionals in the field of language teaching and learning who have been invited as keynote speakers and workshop leaders.  

The venue’s address is:

SATURDAY 27TH JUNE:

Technical university of Sofia – Studentski Grad area, 8 Kliment Ohridski Blvd. – block 7,

ТУ – София, бл. 10 (ФаГИОПМ) – Google Maps

The conference fee is 20 Euros; Students are eligible to a discounted fee of 10 euros.

PLEASE FIND BELOW THE PROVISIONAL CONFERENCE TIMETABLE:

08.30-09.00	REGISTRATION
09.00-09.15	OPENING OF THE CONFERENCE Assoc. Prof. Dr.Vesselin Chantov veselin.chantov@gmail.com Optima Chair
09.15-09.45	PLENARY Thom Kiddle, England thom@nile-elt.com Eaquals Chair	Humanising Quality Assurance in Language Education: The Eaquals Ethos
09.50-10.20	PLENARY Assoc. prof. Dr. Galya Mateva, Bulgaria matevagalya@gmail.com Sofia Technical University Cambridge CELTA& DELTA Certified Founder Chair of Optima	Blazing a Trail into the Future: Lozanov`s Suggestopedia in Bulgaria (as witnessed and experienced)
10.25-10.55	PLENARY Prof. Dr. Ekaterina Sofronieva Ekaterina.sofronieva@abv.bg Sofia University	The Law of Love and its Transformative Power in Language Education
11.00-11.20	Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ivailo Peev   I_peev@tu-sofia.bg Sofia Technical University Head of Department of Foreign Languages and Applied Linguistics	Suggestopedia Approaches and Techniques as Part of the New Pedagogy Toolkit
11.20-11.50	Coffee Break
11.55-12.15	Publisher 1 Presentation
12.20-12.40	Franz Ludescher, Austria franzludescher@gmx.at University College of Teacher Education Vorarlberg Suggestopedic Teacher and Trainer, LITTA Board Chair	From Suggestopedia to Desuggestopedia and Reservopedia
12.45-13.05	Christina Johnstone, Sweden christinajohnstone13@gmail.com Suggestopedic Teacher and Trainer, LITTA Board Member	Type One Activations, Scaffolded Elaboration in Suggestopedia
13.10-13.30	Stavriana Soubassi, Greece ssoubassi@gmail.com Suggestopedic Teacher and Trainer, LITTA Board Member	Suggestopedic Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)
13.30-14.15	LUNCH BREAK
14.20-14.40	Dr. Kaz Hagiwara, Australia k.hagiwara@uq.edu.au Casual Academic and Casual Senior Research Assistant at the University of Queensland; Suggestopedic Teacher and Trainer, LITTA member	What Can a Teacher Do with Semiosis in Suggestopedia Classroom?
14.45-15.05	Publisher 2 Presentation
15.10-15.30	Teodor Vassilev, Bulgaria teodor@gudevica.org Programme Developer Teacher Trainer	Unlocking Full Potential: The Suggestopedic Literacy Programme Revived. Continuation of the UNESCO Recommendations and Research after 47 Years
15.35-15.50           15.50-16.05	Dr. Malmir Baharah,  Turkey malmirbahareh@bogazici.edu.tr English Language instructor Bogazici University   Zehra Yasar, Turkey Zehra.yasar@medipol.edu.tr Istanbul Medipol University	Formulaic Language as Accelerated Learning: Bridging Learner Affect and Quality Standards         The Impact of AI-generated Feedback on EFL Learners` Cognitive, Behavioural and Affective Engagement
16.10-16.30	Setsuko Iki, Japan suggestopedialover@gmail.com Suggestopedic Teacher and Trainer, LITTA Founder	Preventive Suggestopedia: the Children’s Method
16.30-16.50	COFFEE BREAK
16.50-17.10	Natalie Krytskaya Kritskaya.natalie@proton.me Freelance Educator with an MSLU Degree CAMBRIDGE CELTA& DELTA certifie	Grammar Lexically: Weaving Chunks and Rules Together
17.15-17.35	Lonny Gold , Canada Lonnygold13@gmail.com Suggestopedic Teacher Trainer	Fun Activities Specifically Designed for Long-Term Memory Retention
17.40-18.00	Dr. Libyan Labiosa-Cassone, Leta Panayotova , USA, Bulgaria Thelearningalliance4al.com letapanayotov@gmail.co CEO of International Centre for Accelerative Learning (ICAL) Programme Developer, Master Trainer	A Closer Look: The Art of Accelerative Teaching and Instructional Design
18.05-18.30	Radostina Mihaleva, Bulgaria radostinam2000@yahoo.com Sofia University Suggestopedic Teacher and Trainer, LITTA Board Vice Chair	From Curious Mind to Scientific Pioneer: The Journey of Dr. Georgi Lozanov
18.30-	COCKTAIL PARTY

LINK to conference REGISTRATION: https://forms.gle/kjbjGZTfL42oNByE9

SUGGESTED ACCOMMODATION: hotel EUROPE

https://www.hotel-europe-bg.com/en

LOCATION: 43N 40’ 35.397″ 23E 21’ 37.757

The event is sponsored by EAQUALS – The World Association for Quality Language Services

www.eaquals.org

We very much look forward to seeing you in Sofia.

Best regards,

The Conference Organizing Team

OPTIMA_conference_finalized_programme_2025

OPTIMA_conference_provisional_programme_2025

BAQLS OPTIMA with the support of EAQUALS will hold its traditional international competition “I Can Read in English” on 7th March 2025 in two time slots:

1) 11.00 am to 12.00 pm

2) 3 pm to 4 pm

13 to 17 year-old students are eligible to take part in three different levels in accordance with the CEFR: B1, B2 and C1.

Mock competition tests B1 can be downloaded here:

Exam B1
Answer key Exam B1
Answer sheet B1

Mock competition tests B2 can be downloaded here:

Exam B2
Answer key Exam B2
Answer sheet B2

Mock competition tests C1 can be downloaded here:

Exam C1
Answer key Exam C1
Answer sheet C1

Link to OPTIMA 2025 reading competition registration form:

https://forms.gle/JtUqFXzy4Bx7nZwc9

Join-us_EAQUALS_joint_event_poster_and_link_to_registration

Address by the Executive Director of EAQUALS – Lou McLoughlin

Awarding of The School for Arts and Foreign Languages “ARTIS” with the OPTIMA quality label

The prize winners of the reading competition

With the conference participants.

Conference programme

Optima-conference-invitation_2nd_call_18_05

Meet the speakers

18_05_Optima_conference_meet_the_speakers_17_June

OPTIMA International Conference
17^th June 2023
Sofia Technical University

Dear colleagues,

We have the enormous pleasure of inviting you to the much-anticipated OPTIMA International Conference, which will take place on Saturday, 17^th June at Sofia Technical University.

As tradition holds it, it will be preceded by a Reading Competition which will be held at various English-teaching private and state schools on Friday, 21^st April 2023.

The conference will centre around the topic of “Reading & Communication Competences of the Digital Generation”, including a range of plenary sessions, a round-table discussion and an awarding ceremony for the winners in the competition.

We are excited to announce that registration is now open for our international conference! If you are willing to attend, please register here (https://forms.gle/yq9y2h69HmM76Mko8 ).

If you are willing your students to participate in the Reading Competition, please register here (https://forms.gle/vYmf7CR8szBbtrbf6).

• Registration fee for the conference: members – 10 BGN, non-members – 20 BGN
• Registration fee for the Reading Competition: free

NB! Institutions which commit to taking part in the Reading Competition, are eligible for 1 FREE attendance of the conference! 

• Deadline for registration for both events: Friday, March 24^th 2023

If you are willing to sponsor or rent space for exhibiting ELT materials, complete the registration form here (https://forms.gle/BcLok39riTy4oabQ6)

Very much looking forward to seeing you there!