English Medium Instruction and the Internationalization of Higher Education in Latin America: A Case Study from a Colombian University (original) (raw)

2020, Latin American Journal of Content & Language Integrated Learning

This study discusses the implementation of English medium instruction (EMI) at a Colombian university. First, the paper reviews the rise of EMI in the internationalization of higher education. Second, it illustrates how one university incorporated EMI as part of an internationaliza-tion process. Third, it identifies the perceptions that a group of administrators, faculty, and students have regarding the EMI initiative. Questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and document anal-ysis were conducted. Findings suggest that EMI is tied to the structuring of an internationalization office, curricular reforms, and English language learning support. Participants’ perceptions are as-sociated with their imaginaries, identities, experiences, and obligations in relation to the English language. The study concludes that the implementation of EMI within the internationalization of universities is inevitable, yet a sustainable EMI strategy requires contextual awareness and articu-lation amongst its participants.