Integrated Discussion: Innovation via Cross-Cultural Engagement

Abstract

The pressure to internationalize across the higher education sector in Japan continues. Significant effort has been directed at the expansion of English as a medium of instruction (EMI) departments, and degree programs, combined with efforts aimed at increasing the attractiveness of Japanese universities for rising numbers of international students. This complex setting has direct implications for English for Academic Purposes (EAP) programs that seek to ready Japanese students for such challenging environments. This chapter describes one such pilot research project involving the controlled introduction of international students to a Japan-based EAP speaking and listening class in an attempt to (a) gauge the academic, communicative, and related study benefits for the EAP students involved, (b) reveal any indications that the program could assist in efforts to improve the campus culture and relationships between Japanese and international students, and (c) ultimately determine the potential worth of implementing such a program across the EAP curriculum.