Strategic foresight in the age of AI: Cultivating Futures Literacy among EAP/ESP practitioners

Language education, particularly English for Academic/Specific Purposes (EAP/ESP), is navigating a period of systemic disruption. The rapid proliferation of Generative Artificial Intelligence, arriving just after the significant upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, has once again altered institutional policies and reshaped student needs. This continuous flux leaves many practitioners in a state of constant reactivity. In line with the conference theme, Innovations in Language Education: Advancing Pedagogy, Practice and Research, we argue for a shift away from responding to educational change toward anticipating and influencing it. This paper presents the conceptual framework and insights gleaned from participants in a Futures Workshop conducted at the conference. Drawing on the multidisciplinary field of Futures Studies (FS), the workshop introduced language educators to three foundational foresight methodologies: Metaphors, the Futures Triangle, and Scenario Planning. Contextualised within the English as a Medium of Instruction environment of Hong Kong, the paper outlines the theoretical rationale for applying FS to strategic thinking within language education, details the workshop's design, and presents initial participant perspectives on the field's trajectory. We conclude that equipping educators with Futures Literacy is critical for cultivating teacher agency, enabling us to design and advocate for preferable pedagogical futures.