English-Medium Instruction in Higher Education : Convergence and Conflicts

This book presents the current status of the Higher Education (HE) institutes, students’ learning, teachers’ professional development, and classroom practices under the Bilingual Policy in Taiwan.

This book presents the current status of the Higher Education (HE) institutes, students’ learning, teachers’ professional development, and classroom practices under the Bilingual Policy in Taiwan. It showcases how universities and instructors have reacted to the change and what has been done to support students’ learning. In 2021, Taiwan implemented the 'Blueprint for Developing Taiwan into a Bilingual Nation by 2030,' aimed at improving the competitiveness of local talents and industries in Taiwan on the global stage. As indicated in the Policy, English as a medium of instruction (EMI) is a requirement in some classrooms in bilingual universities. Instructors and students in those classrooms need to teach and learn in English, which is not the first language for most of them. For students and instructors in HE institutes, EMI is not only a challenge, but also an opportunity to improve current teaching and learning processes. To some extent, EMI forces university students and instructors to reflect on their learning and teaching. This book discusses case studies from universities in Taiwan and conducts a comparative study of EMI across several Asian countries.