The 2019 conference theme might be seen as a continuity of the theme for 2018 and embraces not necessarily new perspectives on approaches to student assessment but aims to emphasize assessment as a tool that can play a relevant role in transforming the ways students are taught, the ways they develop as leaners and, furthermore, that can contribute to high quality educational outcomes around the world.

Transformation must emphasize the relevance of quality and sustainable feedback. Although feedback is traditionally linked to the formative  dimension of classroom assessment, it is fundamentally important that we start associating feedback with other assessment contexts. Low-stakes external assessment is one, but reporting results of summative external assessment should also be regarded as an opportunity for a positive
“washback effect” insofar as the results should allow for the improvement of teaching and learning for future students cohorts. Last but not least, digital assessment should be seen as, not as a means in itself, but as a way to facilitate this new approach to our schools and educational systems as a whole.