First-year students in an EMI programme. Developing international mindsets?

Abstract

Worldwide, EMI is viewed as enhancing the internationalisation of higher education institutions (Hsu, 2023; Block & Moncada-Comas 2022; Costa & Coleman, 2013). In different contexts, it is also considered to enhance the English language competency, intercultural learning opportunities, global citizenship and employability of students (Han, 2023; Curle et al., 2020). Rose et al. (2019) note that alongside the improvement of English language proficiency, one of the perceived benefits of EMI is “the development of internationally-minded students and staff members”. However, few studies have examined students’ engagement with intercultural and global learning aspects in EMI programmes. Not enough is known about how students perceive international dimensions in EMI and the importance they place on developing an international mindset. This webinar presents the results of a study of first-year students’ perceptions of the international dimensions in the inaugural year of an EMI bachelor programme in Italy. While students’ views of linguistic and pedagogical aspects in EMI in Italian universities have been investigated in research, little is known about how they perceive international dimensions and global learning affordances.  The single case study design allows an in-depth, context-specific analysis.

About the presenter

Dr  Olivia Mair is a postdoctoral research fellow with the Centre for  Higher Education Internationalisation at Università Cattolica del Sacro  Cuore and teaches in the Department of Language Science and Foreign Literature.  Her research interests span English-medium Instruction, higher  education internationalisation, CLIL/ICLHE, and early language learning.  She has designed and facilitated professional development for  English-medium education and internationalisation of the curriculum at  the university since 2016 and recently set up a new intercultural peer  mentoring project.