The 5th International Workshop on Learner-Centered Learning (LCL 2026) was successfully held from 16 to 18 September 2026 at the Open Education Institute of the Mongolian University of Science and Technology (MUST) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The workshop was conducted in a hybrid format and jointly organized by the Mongolian University of Science and Technology (MUST), University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), Philippines, Chemnitz University of Technology (CUT), Germany, Citi University, Mongolia, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, and the Asia-Europe Meeting Lifelong Learning (ASEM LLL) Hub.

LCL 2026 brought together professors, researchers, education experts, institutional stakeholders, and graduate students to exchange knowledge and discuss current research, innovative approaches, educational technologies, and methodologies related to learner-centered teaching and learning.

The workshop received 37 paper submissions. Following a double-review process, 15 papers were selected for presentation at LCL 2026. Authors and participants from Mongolia, the Philippines, China, Germany, India, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Portugal, and the United States contributed to the international program.

A particular focus of LCL 2026 was the changing landscape of learner-centered education in the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Presentations and discussions addressed how educational institutions and educators can create learning environments that respond effectively to learners’ diverse needs, experiences, interests, abilities, and contexts.

The workshop also covered a broad range of topics, including educational technologies, innovative teaching and learning practices, educational policies, institutional frameworks, quality assurance, governance, and organizational practices. Particular attention was given to emerging practices, challenges, and lessons learned from implementing learner-centered approaches across different educational settings and learning modalities.

As an important academic outcome of the workshop, reviewed papers presented at LCL 2026 are being brought together in a special issue of the ESS journal. The special issue reflects the diversity of research and practical experiences presented during the workshop and contributes to the broader discussion on the future of learner-centered education.

The organizers of LCL 2026 express their sincere appreciation to all authors, reviewers, speakers, scholars, participants, partner institutions, and colleagues who contributed to the successful organization of the workshop in Mongolia.

Open Education Institute, MUST