The U.S. Department of State announced the selection of Dr. Rabia Hos, dean of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies at Southern Connecticut State University, for a six-month English Language Specialist project focusing on English language teacher educator training in Poland and Ukraine. Hos is part of a select group, as her project is one of approximately 240 that the English Language Specialist Program supports each year.
Hos is an esteemed academic leader and educator, with an extensive background in language education and teacher training. Her expertise, recognized by numerous national and international organizations, has established her as a highly respected leader in language education. Her selection for the prestigious English Language Specialist Program by the U.S. Department of State is a testament to her distinguished career.
Hos’s upcoming six-month project in Warsaw and Gdansk, Poland, focusing on English language teacher educator training, is a remarkable opportunity for her to collaborate with leading institutions such as the Centre for Education and Social Innovations and Trainings, the Regional Teacher Training Center, IATEFL Poland, and the Gdansk Chapter Ukraine: Consortium for Enhancement of Ukrainian Management Education (CEUME). This project highlights her dedication to fostering global educational collaboration, as well as her passion for improving educational access and promoting social justice through global partnerships.
“Serving as an English language specialist in Poland working with Ukrainian educators will be a journey of connection, growth, and mutual learning,” said Hos. “Supporting teacher education faculty would be more than teaching language skills but sharing a vision of education that goes beyond borders. It’s an opportunity to build bridges between cultures and show a commitment to a more sustainable future. This shows us the true impact of language in uniting people, and it is an honor to be part of such transformative work.”
The English Language Specialist Program is the premier opportunity for leaders in the field of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) to enact meaningful and sustainable changes in the way that English is taught abroad. Through projects developed by U.S. embassies in more than 80 countries, English Language Specialists work directly with local teacher trainers, educational leaders, and ministry of education officials to exchange knowledge, build capacity, and establish partnerships benefiting participants, institutions, and communities in the United States and overseas.
Since 1991, the English Language Specialist Program has supported in-country, virtual, and mixed projects in which hundreds of TESOL scholars and educators promote English language learning, enhance English teaching capacity, and foster mutual understanding between the U.S. and other countries through cultural exchange. During their projects, English Language Specialists may conduct intensive teacher training, advise ministries of education, participate in high-level educational consultations, and offer plenary presentations at regional, national, or international TESOL conferences. These projects are challenging, and those selected represent the best of the U.S. TESOL community. In return, the program provides professional development opportunities to help participants experience different cultures and build skills that can greatly enhance their TESOL careers at home.
The Specialist Program is administered by the Center for Intercultural Education and Development at Georgetown University.
