The role of English in higher education internationalisation: language ideologies on EMI programmes in China

Abstract

English medium instruction (EMI) is an increasing phenomenon in the higher education in China. While internationalisation policies at both institutional and national levels take credits in creating the phenomenon, the market needs for EMI programmes among Chinese students are irresistible forces behind the phenomenon. In addition, there are different forms of the EMI phenomenon in the context of China, which adds to make the understanding of EMI in China a challenging task. While not much has been done to investigate EMI in China, the complexity reminds us of the need for a localised understanding of EMI, despite that previous research on EMI in European contexts has a lot to offer to China.

Research into English as a lingua franca (ELF) urges us to consider what is ‘E’ in ‘EMI’. This involves both the practice of EMI, in terms of how disciplinary content can be effectively learned, taught and assessed through the medium of English, and how EMI participants can become empowered in raising awareness of what makes good or bad English. While the consideration of ‘E’ in ‘EMI’ has implications from a theoretical perspective, little is known of local perspectives on English in EMI and how they contribute to the practice of EMI in China, shed light on other contexts, and enhance a broader understanding of EMI in general. To this end, this chapter looks at EMI in China in the context of higher education internationalisation, with a focus on EMI participants’ language ideologies within Spolsky’s framework of language management, offering insights into how English is negotiating with Chinese as EMI participants’ first language in the process of internationalisation.

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