We are pleased to announce the co-recipients of the 2026 TIRF James E. Alatis Prize for Research on Language Planning and Policy in Educational Contexts. Dr. Scott E. Grapin and Ms. Eunae Kim have been selected as this year’s recipients of TIRF’s Alatis Prize. Their article is entitled “District Supervisors’
Dear TIRF Supporters, As many of you know, my day job is serving as a university president. I am constantly mindful of the mounting challenges facing higher education and the uncertain future of universities. Traditional notions of excellence are increasingly shaped—and constrained—by global rankings, while relentless pressure for research productivity
We are pleased to share key details for two major events in 2026 that bring our field together for research, practice, and professional growth. TESOL 2026 International Convention & Expo AAAL 2026 Annual Conference Whether you are presenting research, strengthening connections, or gaining fresh insights, both gatherings offer dynamic opportunities
To bring the “I” in TIRF—International—to life, we update the TIRF Awardee Map each year following the announcement of our newest grant and award recipients. This interactive Google Maps resource highlights where TIRF-supported scholars are originally from around the world (i.e., their hometowns) and reflects the growing global reach of
The application window for TIRF’s 2026 Doctoral Dissertation Grants (DDG) program is now open. The Foundation’s flagship program is designed to provide awards for doctoral students nearing the completion of their studies. There are two different types of DDGs offered from TIRF and its partners this year. Once again, we
We are deeply grateful to everyone who supported TIRF during our 2025 year-end appeal. Thanks to the generosity of our global community, the campaign was a wonderful success—raising $16,000 from supporters worldwide, with an additional $11,000 contributed by TIRF Trustees through their matching gifts—totaling $27,000 to help fund TIRF’s programs
(Updated February 17, 2026: Two webinar recordings are available on TIRF’s website—the morning session and the evening session.) We’re pleased to invite you to TIRF’s 2026 Doctoral Dissertation Grants (DDG) Fellows Mentoring Webinars—a valuable opportunity for potential applicants and their supervisors—to hear directly from TIRF DDG awardees, gain practical guidance
Dear TIRF Supporters, As we approach the close of 2025, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to all TIRFers for your dedication, active participation, and invaluable contributions to making TIRF the strong and impactful organization it is today. This year has been marked by meaningful progress, collaboration, and
We are pleased to announce the approval of a new TIRF Research Topic—Artificial Intelligence (AI)—now published on the Foundation’s website. This new topic reflects the rapidly growing influence of AI across language teaching, learning, assessment, and research, and responds to increasing global interest from educators, researchers, institutions, and policymakers. AI-enabled
We are pleased to announce the release of a major new resource from TIRF — AI Ethics: Policy Guidance for Language Education. The paper, authored by TIRF Trustee Michael Carrier, is now available on our website to download for free. This comprehensive framework offers practical, accessible guidance on the ethical
This note is our final appeal as we approach the close of 2025. There is still time to make a year-end contribution to TIRF—and every donation made before December 31st will continue to be matched dollar for dollar by our Trustees, up to $11,000. Click here to donate today. Your
We are pleased to announce the opening of TIRF’s 2026 Doctoral Dissertation Grants (DDG) competition. The commencement of the current DDG program offering marks the 25th consecutive year the Foundation will make awards to help support doctoral students around the world. There are two different types of DDGs offered from
Dear TIRF Supporters, This month, I am delighted to share wonderful news that speaks to both the generosity of our global community and the growing confidence in TIRF’s mission. Earlier in November, TIRF received a transformational gift of USD 100,000 from Mr. Ung Choi Kun of Macau. This contribution establishes
TIRF is pleased to share that sponsorship of our widely used Reference Lists—already available to institutions—has now officially been expanded to welcome individual sponsors as well. This development reflects TIRF’s commitment to broadening participation and offering more ways for passionate professionals, researchers, educators, and supporters to help sustain this valuable
As we reflect on the progress of 2025 and look ahead to the year ahead, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the many individuals and institutions that form the TIRF community. Whether you have supported our research initiatives, engaged in our professional programming, shared our messages, or simply
