Special Edition on the English without Borders Program

Abstract

This special issue of BELT+ focuses on the English without Borders Program (EwB). This Program, which is still quite a novelty, has been revolutionizing the scenario of additional language teaching and learning in higher education institutions in Brazil. EwB has been developed by the Higher Education Secretariat (Sesu) in partnership with the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) as a response to problems candidates of the early editions of the Science without Borders (SwB) Program1 encountered regarding a lack of language examination centers and low English proficiency. The SwB required, among other conditions, applicants to take an English proficiency exam in order to be granted the opportunity to study abroad. It was soon found that there were insufficient examination centers in Brazil to handle the many applicants. Thus, in 2013, examination centers for the Test of English as a Foreign Language – Institutional Testing Program (TOEFL ITP) were opened in 63 federal universities throughout the country. Today the Program includes 146 TOEFL ITP and TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) examination centers in public higher education institutions around Brazil2 and has administered roughly 300,000 tests in two years. To deal with the