The English Language and Literature (ELIT) study program of the International University of Sarajevo (IUS) was represented at the 12th International Conference on Lifelong Education and Leadership for All (ICLEL 2026), held from 7 to 9 July 2026 at Moravian Business College Olomouc in the Czech Republic.
The conference, chaired by Prof. Dr. Osman Titrek of the Faculty of Education at Sakarya University, Türkiye, brought together 298 participants from 26 countries. The three-day programme included keynote lectures, workshops, poster presentations, parallel sessions, and a Cultural Night, covering education, leadership, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, language teaching, intercultural communication, psychology, management, and the humanities.
Assistant Professor Dr. Nadira Puškar Mustafić represented ELIT in three official capacities. She served as a member of the Organizing Committee, chaired one of the virtual parallel sessions, and presented research as part of the scientific programme. As Virtual Session Chair, she moderated presentations and discussions involving researchers from different countries.
Dr. Puškar Mustafić presented the paper “Programmed Adolescence: AI Anxiety and Teenage Subjectivity in M. T. Anderson’s Feed,” co-authored with Prof. Dr. Mirzana Pašić Kodrić, Professor at the Faculty of Education, University of Sarajevo, and Visiting Professor at the International University of Sarajevo. The paper examined the influence of artificial intelligence, technological surveillance, and consumer culture on adolescent subjectivity and narrative voice in contemporary young adult literature.
In addition, Maja Olovčić, Adjunct Instructor of English and a PhD candidate at the International University of Sarajevo, and her mentor, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ervin Kovačević, presented their research virtually. Their paper, “Intercultural Values and Student Relationships in Higher Education: Exploring the Role of Communication, Empathy, and Cultural Diversity,” focused on the role of intercultural communication and empathy in shaping student relationships in higher education.
Participation in ICLEL 2026 provided valuable opportunities to present current research, exchange ideas with scholars from different countries, and strengthen international academic cooperation. Through involvement in conference organization, session chairing, and scholarly presentations, the English Language and Literature Department enhanced the international visibility of the International University of Sarajevo and supported its continued engagement in global academic exchange.
