Sunday, 5th April 2026

The Department of English Linguistics and Literature (DELL) at Riphah International University successfully organized the 5th International Conference on Applied Linguistics (ICAL) 2026. This premier two-day event, held on April 4th and 5th, brought together a distinguished global community of researchers, scholars, and students to explore how language serves as a critical tool for solving local and global social issues.

Reflecting its growing international stature, the 5th ICAL received a significant volume of research submissions from across the globe. To ensure high academic standards, a rigorous selection process focused on practical and applied research value resulted in only 35% of abstracts being chosen for final presentation. The conference featured participating scholars from 12 countries, including the USA, Singapore, Malaysia, Russia, Algeria, India, and Morocco.

The conference centered on pioneering themes closely aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Key discussion areas included:

• AI Impact on Language and Literature: Exploring AI policy changes in composition syllabi, generative AI in dissertation writing, and the patterns of AI-based grammar feedback.
• Healthcare Discourse: Reframing the analytic scope of applied linguistics in healthcare and examining the urgent need for medical interpretation services in Pakistan.
• Language, Power, and Justice: Analyzing leadership through multilingualism, the representation of women in political discourse, and forensic linguistic strategies in cybercrime communication.
• Ecolinguistics: Examining "Stories of Green" in global advertising and the intersection of technohumanism with ecological discourse.

The event was organized under the guidance of Mr. Hassan Muhammad Khan (Chancellor) and Prof. Dr. Anis Ahmed (Vice Chancellor). The inaugural session was opened by Prof. Dr. Abdulhamit Birışık, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, followed by an introduction from Dr. Muhammad Abdullah Baig, Head of the Department of English Linguistics and Literature.

ICAL 2026 continues the university's tradition of providing an interdisciplinary platform for scholars to interact and discuss contemporary research trends. The Department of English Linguistics and Literature expressed deep gratitude to the university management and all international participants for their contributions to this successful academic milestone.