Dr Nick Saville

Dr Nick Saville

Director, Research and Thought Leadership

Dr Nick Saville is the Director of Research and Thought Leadership for Cambridge Assessment English and the elected Secretary-General of the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE). His current research interests include assessment and learning in the digital age; the use of ethical AI; language policy and multilingualism; the CEFR; and Learning Oriented Assessment (LOA).

Nick is a consultant for European institutions including the Council of Europe, the European Parliament & the EU Commission. In this capacity he has been involved in the development of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) since its inception, and more recently was an invited Expert for the development and validation of the Companion Volume. He has worked on educational reforms which use the CEFR as a basis in developing curricula and setting objectives for learning and objectives.

He has also worked as an advisor to many ministries around the world, including in Italy, Mexico, Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan and China. He is currently an Expert for the National Educational Examination Authority, China and Visiting Professor at Xiamen University, China.

More widely at Cambridge, Nick has collaborated with Cambridge University Press as co-founder of the Cambridge Learner Corpus (1993) and co-founder/coordinator of the English Profile Programme (2006). He lectures and supervises PhDs in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics (Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages and Linguistics), and is Joint-Director of the MSt in English Language Assessment. He sits on several University Boards, including: MEITS, an interdisciplinary research programme in Multilingualism; the Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Language Sciences; the Institute for Automated Language Teaching and Assessment; and English Language iTutoring, providing AI-informed automated systems.

Nick presents regularly at international conferences and has published widely on issues related to language assessment. He was a founding associate editor and is now on the editorial board of Language Assessment Quarterly; is joint-series editor of the Studies in Language Testing series ), previously with the late Prof Cyril Weir, and founding editor of the English Profile Studies series with Dr Michael Milanovic (both with Cambridge University Press).

Nick holds a PhD from the University of Bedfordshire in language test impact, as well as a BA in Linguistics and an MA in TEFL from the University of Reading. Before moving to Cambridge in 1989, he worked at the University of Cagliari (Facolta' di Magistero) in Italy from 1980 to 1986 teaching English. He has specialised in language testing and assessment since 1987, initially managing a test development project for Cambridge in Japan based at the British Council, Tokyo (1987-1989).

Key publications and conference presentations

Kunnan, A, Saville, N (forthcoming) Setting standards for language learning and assessment in educational contexts: A multilingual perspective, in Bennett-Ayres, W and Bellamy, J (Eds) The Cambridge Handbook of Language Standardization, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Saville, N (forthcoming) LOA as a way of understanding and using all types of assessment to support language learning, in Gebril, A (eds) Learning-Oriented Language Assessment, London: Routledge.

Saville, N and McElwee, S (forthcoming) Quality control and management in Fulcher, G and Harding, L (Eds) Handbook of Language Testing (Second edition), London: Routledge.

Saville, N and Seed, G (forthcoming) Plurilingual assessment, in Lawrence, G, Piccardo, E and Germain-Rutherford, A (Eds) Routledge Handbook of Plurilingual Education, London: Routledge.

Gu, X, Saville, N and Zeng, T (2019) The applicability of the CSE as a self-assessment tool for school teachers, in Bailey, K and Damerow, R (Eds) Chinese-speaking Learners of English, London: Routledge.

Saville, N (2019) How can multilingualism be supported through language education in Europe?, Language Assessment Quarterly 16, 464-471. https://doi.org/10.1080/15434303.2019.1676246

Saville, N (2020) The fourth industrial revolution and language learning – reimagining the future, Cambridge English webinar on Shaping the Future of Education, June 2020.

Saville, N (2020) ALTE: Looking Back Looking Forward, Launch of History of ALTE: the first 30 years, available online: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsJ4UZVyVYo

Saville, N (2020) A Brief History of ALTE, Launch of History of ALTE: The first 30 years, available online: www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1uvHzKvb2M

Saville, N (2020) Ecosystem of Learning, FICCI ARISE webinar on Designing Online Assessments.

Saville, N (2020) Unwrapping the Ecosystem Impact and the Future, paper presented at Cambridge English Conference, April 2020.

Saville, N (2020) Aligning large-scale and classroom assessment, paper presented at UKALTA-EALTA CEFR Event, February 2020.

Saville, N (2019) Plurilingualism and Assessment (with reference to the new Common European Framework of Reference for Languages Companion Volume), paper presented at University of Cambridge Second Language Education Group Research Seminar, November 2019.

Saville, N (2019) Language Practices in Multilingual Contexts. An Agenda for Change in Learning and Assessment?, paper presented at 6th International Conference of the Asian Association for Language Assessment, October 2019.

Saville, N (2019) Principles, policies and practices in multilingual language assessment, paper presented at 6th International Conference of the Asian Association for Language Assessment, October 2019.

Saville, N (2019) Learning Oriented Assessment: The Cambridge Approach, paper presented at Da Nang University, October 2019.

Saville, N (2019) Assessment for Learning English using Digital Technology, paper presented at VietTESOL, October 2019.

Saville, N (2019) Quality and Validation in Language Assessment: the ALTE Approach, paper presented at European Day of Languages event, September 2019.

Saville, N (2019) Keeping IELTS fit for purpose, paper presented at Japan Language Testing Association, September 2019.

Saville, N (2019) The Impact of IELTS in Japanese Higher Education, paper presented at Japan Language Testing Association, September 2019.

Saville, N (2019) Quality and validation in language assessment: the ALTE approach, paper presented at XI Congreso Acles, July 2019.

Saville, N (2019) The future of assessment in the 4th industrial revolution, paper presented at Cambridge English Conference, May 2019.

Saville, N (2019) Language teaching and testing, standards and variation, in major and minoritized languages, paper presented at MEITS: Language rules? Languages, standards, multilingualism, and linguistic inequality, April 2019.

Saville, N (2019) Language Standards, Plurilingual repertoires and the CEFR, paper presented at MEITS: Language rules? Languages, standards, multilingualism, and linguistic inequality, April 2019.

Saville, N (2019) The future of assessment in the World of Artificial Intelligence – AI, paper presented at IATEFL, April 2019.

Saville, N (2019) Assessment Literacy and Practice in Latin America, paper presented at The 1st British Council New Directions on English Language Assessment Conference Mexico, March 2019.

Saville, N (2018) The future of assessment: challenges of the 4th industrial revolution, paper presented at CILS Certification 25th Anniversary, December 2018.

Saville, N (2018) A tribute to the life and work of the late Professor Cyril J. Weir, OBE, FAcSS, paper presented at Language Testing Forum, November 2018.

Saville, N (2018) Background, Practice and Development of China’s College Entrance Examination Reform, paper presented at National Education Examinations Authority Conference, October 2018.

Saville, N (2018) College entrance examination content and form reform--The college entrance examination evaluation system, paper presented at National Education Examinations Authority Conference, October 2018.

Saville, N (2018) Setting standards for language learning and assessment – A multilingual perspective, paper presented at 5th International Conference of the Asian Association for Language Assessment, October 2018.

Saville, N (2018) The future of assessment in the world of artificial intelligence, OET Networking Event, August 2018.

Deygers, B, Carlsen, C H, Saville, N and Van Gorp, K (2018) The use of the CEFR in Higher Education: A brief introduction to this special issue, Language Assessment Quarterly 15 (1), 1-2.

Saville, N (2018) Global approaches to multilingualism and standardisation, paper presented at the Global Approaches to Multilingualism and Standardisation conference, Cambridge, UK, April 2018.

Gutierrez Eugenio, E and Saville, N (2017) Policy review: The role of assessment in European language policy: a historical overview, available online: http://www.meits.org/policy-papers/paper/the-role-of-assessment-in-european-language-policy-a-historical-overview

Saville, N (2017) Digital Assessment, in Carrier, M, Damerow, R M and Bailey, K M (Eds) Digital Language Learning and Teaching: Research, Theory and Practice, Routledge.

Saville, N (2017) Appropriate uses of the CEFR in planning and implementing language education reforms, paper presented at the 52nd Regional Language Centre (RELC) International Conference, Singapore, March 2017.

Saville, N (2017) English in the international(ised) workplace, paper presented at the Multilingualism in University and the Workplace event, Salamanca, Spain, May 2017.

Saville, N (2017) Key research-based insights into BULATS, paper presented at the BULATS Agents Annual Meeting, Paris, France, June 2017.

Saville, N (2017) Linking learning and assessment to support plurilingual education, paper presented at the 11th International Symposium on Bilingualism, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland, June 2017.

Saville, N (2017) A systemic model for connecting assessment with teaching and learning, paper presented at the 4th Annual International Conference of the Asian Association for Language Assessment (AALA), Taipei, Taiwan, June 2017.

Saville, N (2017) Setting and monitoring standards within a professional community of practice, paper presented at Academic Forum on English Language Testing in Asia (AFELTA), Taipei, Taiwan, June 2017.

Saville, N (2017) The construct of multilingualism in applied linguistics and language testing: os assuntos do multilinguismo importam, paper presented at the 39th Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC), Bogotá, Colombia, July 2017.

Saville, N (2017) Teaching knowledge in the API Economy, paper presented at the 18th Association Internationale de Linguistique Appliquée (AILA) World Congress, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 2017.

Saville, N (2017) How can multilingualism be supported through language education in Europe?, paper presented at the 18th Association Internationale de Linguistique Appliquée (AILA) World Congress, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 2017.

Saville, N (2017) Multilingualism post Brexit: language as part of lifelong learning in Europe, paper presented at the European Day of Languages event, Brussels, Belgium, September 2017.

Saville, N (2017) The future of language assessment, paper presented at Global Portugal: Mapping the Future, Cambridge Assessment English event, British Embassy Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal, October 2017.

Saville, N (2017) Data and devices: The 4th Industrial Revolution, paper presented at the Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT) International Conference, Tsukuba, Japan, November 2017.

Saville, N (2017) How Cambridge English exams would help you learn English and prove your skills to the world, paper presented at the British Embassy, Tokyo, Japan, November 2017.

Jones, N and Saville, N (2016) Learning Oriented Assessment: A Systemic Approach, Studies in Language Testing volume 45, Cambridge: UCLES/Cambridge University Press.

Saville, N (2016) Mixed methods and language assessment: A new frontier, paper presented at the 2nd International Mixed Methods International Research Association (MMIRA) Conference, Durham University, Durham, UK, August 2016.

Saville, N (2016) Breaking out of the box: understanding relationships between learning and assessment, paper presented at the IATEFL Testing, Evaluation and Assessment Special Interest Group (TEASIG), Aigle, Switzerland, October 2016.

Saville, N (2016) Developing and validating test materials within a Common Framework of Reference (based on the ALTE manual), paper presented at the NEAA, Hangzhou, China, November 2016.

Saville, N (2016) Imagine a future where testing makes our student journeys the best in class, paper presented at Navitas, Hanoi, Vietnam, November 2016.

Saville, N and Khalifa, H (2016) The impact of language assessment, in Tsagari, D and Banerjee, J (Eds) Handbook of Second Language Assessment De Gruyter Mouton, 77-94.

Barker, F, Salamoura, A and Saville, N (2015) Learner corpora and language testing, in Granger, S, Gilquin, G and Meunier, F (Eds) The Cambridge Handbook of Learner Corpus Research, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 511-534.

Saville, N (2012) Applying a model for investigating the impact of language assessment within educational contexts: The Cambridge ESOL approach, Research Notes 50, 4-8.