Language policy in the internationalisation of Higher Education in Anglophone countries: The interplay between language policy as ‘text’, ‘discourse’ and ‘practice’

Qi Chen,Florence Bonacina-Pugh,Elisabeth Barakos

doi:10.1515/applirev-2019-0148

Qi Chen, Florence Bonacina-Pugh + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2019-0148

Copy DOI

Abstract

Abstract In order to better compete in an increasing neoliberalised education system, many Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have developed an internationalisation strategy that aims at incorporating an intercultural and global dimension into curricula and learning environments for all. This internationalisation agenda raises important language policy issues that are often side-lined in the UK and other Anglophone countries where an English monolingual ethos prevails. Centrally, the question arises indeed as to whether internationalisation processes have an impact on HEIs’ language policies in Anglophone countries. This paper takes the case of a Russell Group University in the UK and focuses on two masters programmes that attract annually a ‘multilingual elite’ (Barakos and Selleck 2019). It examines the institution’s language policy adopted at the levels of ‘texts’, ‘discourses’ and ‘practices’ (Bonacina-Pugh 2012), using a critical discourse analysis of policy documents and a conversation analysis of classroom interactions. We argue that language policy is at the core of HEIs’ internationalisation processes even in Anglophone countries and that, methodologically, the articulation of findings from critical discourse and conversational analyses represents a step forward in the field of language policy.

Highlights

As a response to globalisation, that is, the increasing interconnectedness of transnational communications and movements, the global marketisation of education and broader socio-economic processes in the knowledge economy, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have adopted ‘internationalisation’ strategies
We argue that internationalisation processes affect language policy in Anglophone countries, albeit in a more subtle way than it does in non-Anglophone countries, where a clear change of language policy is observable
The internationalisation of higher education and language policy are two issues that are frequently conjointly examined in non-Anglophone countries, where HEI undergoing internationalisation adopt new language policies

Summary

Introduction

As a response to globalisation, that is, the increasing interconnectedness of transnational communications and movements (see Block 2006: 3), the global marketisation of education and broader socio-economic processes in the knowledge economy, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have adopted ‘internationalisation’ strategies. This paper addresses this issue and examines the language policy of a HEI undergoing internationalisation in an Anglophone country It takes the case of a Russell Group University in the UK that claims to have a strong international tradition and reputation, and focusses on two Masters programmes that attract annually a ‘multilingual elite’ (Barakos and Selleck 2019), and in particular Chinese students. Language policy issues in the internationalisation of HEIs have been investigated in non-Anglophone countries In these contexts, internationalisation has often led to language policy changes such as the adoption of English as a medium of instruction (EMI) (for a systematic review see Macaro et al 2018). These two Masters programmes sit within one of the 21 Schools of University X

Data sets and methods Two data sets were collected

Findings

Discussion and concluding remarks