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ELI in the News

International Partnerships at the ELI

The English Language Institute builds global connections through customized English training, cultural exchange, and academic partnership programs. Below are several recent collaborations with institutions in Latin America and East Asia.

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Panamanian Partnership Creates Shared Value for ELI

Picture of a Zoom Class with a UTK instructor and 7 educators from Panama


The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s English Language Institute and the Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá’s Centro Especializado de Lenguas (UTP‑CEL) recently partnered on a series of synchronous online class sessions through Zoom and Gather.town, focused on engagement strategies for online language teaching and building classroom community.

Nine English‑language instructors joined from both institutions to discuss creating positive and inclusive classroom communities, fostering student engagement, and encouraging meaningful interaction in online environments. They also explored ways to incorporate authentic cultural content in instruction and shared best practices for motivating learners in virtual settings.

“Working with UTP‑CEL instructors was an incredibly enriching experience,” said Dr. Amanda Dascomb, ELI Instructional Designer. “During our collaborative synchronous sessions, I presented on increasing engagement and community in online classrooms through the use of AI and gamification, and the Panamanian English instructors shared their own best practices for teaching English online. By working together, we improved our online teaching methods and strengthened our thriving partnership.”

Todd Beard, ELI Director, sees the partnership as a clear win: “International partnerships like the one with UTP add value to our respective institutional goals and provide opportunities for us to think and work collaboratively.”

Source: https://cge.utk.edu/2025/10/08/panamanian-partnership-creates-shared-value-for-eli/

Date: October 2025

ELI Hosts Argentinian Students for Intensive English Camp


The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, welcomed four Argentinian high‑school students this summer as part of the English Language Institute’s (ELI) English Experience Camp (EEC).

Students attended three hours of classes daily and also joined campus and off‑campus activities, including a visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a trip to Nashville, watching a Knoxville Smokies baseball game, and touring the McClung Museum.

“The most impactful part of our experience was the personal connection our students built with their instructors, their classmates and the entire EEC community,” said Rodrigo Martinez, Director of International Camp USA. “From the very first day, we felt genuinely welcomed. The atmosphere in the classrooms was warm, inclusive and inspiring. Our students felt comfortable expressing themselves, asking questions and participating fully not only in academic sessions, but in every activity.”

Plans are underway to bring another cohort of students in January 2026. “UT is a fantastic place to discover, to connect, and to grow. Together, ELI and UT create the perfect setting for young people to explore new ideas, challenge themselves and imagine futures they may have once thought impossible,” Martinez added.

Source: https://cge.utk.edu/2025/11/07/eli-hosts-argentinian-students-for-intensive-english-camp/

Date: July 2025

New Agreement Between SENAFRONT and ELI


The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s English Language Institute (ELI) has signed an agreement with SENAFRONT in Panama, marking an important step toward a new English training program for border patrol officers.

During a visit to Panama in August, ELI Director Todd Beard met with SENAFRONT’s Director General Jorge Gobea, who aims for his officers to use English when engaging with government agencies, NGOs, volunteers, and individuals working along Panama’s borders. His vision aligns closely with the ELI’s mission to provide high‑quality English language education to international and local learners.

This agreement follows Beard’s initial visit to Panama in October 2023 alongside Diane Edrington, Mark White, Kimberly Howard, and UT Law Professor Carlos Yunsan. In April 2024, a SENAFRONT delegation visited UT to explore further collaboration.

Under the partnership, officers will begin with a six‑month English program facilitated by SENAFRONT in Panama. A select group of students will then travel to Knoxville for a two‑month intensive English program at the ELI.

Source: https://cge.utk.edu/2024/10/18/new-agreement-between-senafront-and-eli/

Date: October 2024

KGHS Language and Culture Program


The English Language Institute recently welcomed international visitors from two continents with the goal of building durable academic and cultural partnerships.

In March and April, students from Kaisei Gakuin High School in Muroran, Japan—Knoxville’s sister city—participated in an intensive English and American culture experience at the ELI. The collaboration developed after discussions with KGHS International Department Deputy Director Jack Brodowski, who sought new opportunities for his students to engage with a U.S. university.

Students attended morning English classes and spent afternoons in cultural activities organized by Doug Terry, Anna McDaniel, and Rosario Grass. They joined the Student Global Experience Showcase, met Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon, visited Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and participated in activities at UT’s International House.

“What impressed our students the most was the exposure to different cultures in a classroom, appropriate language level placement, and teacher‑to‑student ratio,” Brodowski said. “Other than that, delicious food and southern hospitality were very common comments.”

Source: https://cge.utk.edu/2024/05/09/eli-welcomes-international-guests/

Date: February 2024

Friends Across the Sea Program

“I liked interacting with native students! They speak so fast and use some slang… But I could learn a lot from them! Thank you!”


In spring 2022, UT Knoxville students had the opportunity to virtually connect with students from three Japanese universities during the Friends Across the Sea program, a collaboration between the English Language Institute and the Japanese Program.

Funded through a U.S. Department of State grant, the program was designed to help Japanese university students improve their English skills through instruction from a Tennessee‑based instructor and regular conversation sessions with UT undergraduate students using Zoom and Gather.town.

Participants from Kobe University, Kansai Gaidai University, and Gakushuin University attended six weeks of virtual classes focused on communication strategies such as introductions, agreeing and disagreeing, and making comparisons. They also met weekly in small groups with UT students, created projects together, and attended special sessions about business ties between Japan and Tennessee and student life at UT Knoxville.

Source: https://cge.utk.edu/2022/07/05/friends-across-the-sea-connects-japanese-ut-students-for-language-learning-and-cultural-exchange/

Date: May 2022