EMI as a problem, a right or a resource: Exploring misalignments in stakeholders’ views at one university in Taiwan

Abstract

The number of English medium instruction (EMI) courses has grown dramatically in non-Anglophone countries during the past three decades. As EMI is considered ‘an unstoppable train’, the Taiwanese government wants to be on board that train. This current research investigates EMI language practices at one university in Taiwan through interviews of three EMI instructors as key informants and how their practices and beliefs were misaligned with the government’s language policy. Findings revealed three misalignments at the macro, meso, and micro levels of the implementation of EMI at the university. The misalignments were: (1) the incongruity of students’ English proficiency as a prerequisite for enrollment, (2) inconsistencies in defining EMI, and (3) instructors perceived conflicting learning needs and interests of students. The conflicting interests suggested that EMI could be considered a problem, a right or a resource by different stakeholders. The study concluded that a top-down policy with language-as-resource orientation may not be the way to implement EMI effectively. Instead, language-as-right orientation to promote EMI seems to be agreed by all stakeholders and policy makers at the macro, meso and micro level.