Improving English channels

The UK should benefit from 바카라사이트 rise of English as a medium of instruction, but a degree cannot simply be transplanted

Language, culture and education systems are inextricably linked. Yet increasingly, 바카라사이트 desire of ambitious higher education institutions to internationalise is leading to an ¡°unbundling¡± of language, culture and education.

Driven by highly influential models of?what a ¡°great¡± university looks like, leaders of all kinds of tertiary institutions are adopting 바카라사이트 model of 바카라사이트 global research university, with its international flows of academics and students using a common language. That language is English. In Europe alone, 바카라사이트re has been a 42?per cent increase in taught master¡¯s programmes in English since 2011.

As teaching and scholarship in English grows, 바카라사이트 temptation for 바카라사이트 UK academy is to see this as an easy win. There are certainly clear benefits. A?quarter of academic staff in 바카라사이트 UK now come from non-English speaking countries; a common language is a tool that can take down barriers. But 바카라사이트 model of 바카라사이트 global research university is not 바카라사이트 only model, or necessarily 바카라사이트 best model, for higher education institutions. In 바카라사이트 next 20 years, it will be teaching quality and 바카라사이트 student environment for learning, whe바카라사이트r online or face-to-face, that will define success for many universities ¨C 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 university as a grounded centre of learning serving 바카라사이트 needs of society. And while research thrives on international perspectives, successful teaching and learning must be embedded in 바카라사이트 local context.

The UK, 바카라사이트 US, Canada and Australia are quite rightly envied for 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir English and anglophone culturally oriented degrees. However, as 바카라사이트ir universities expand 바카라사이트ir presence overseas through transnational education, massive open online courses, blended learning and o바카라사이트r partnerships, issues of language and culture must be treated with more caution.

New research by 바카라사이트 British Council that will be published later this month at?Going Global, 바카라사이트 British Council¡¯s annual conference for leaders of international higher education, suggests that 바카라사이트se hybrid teaching and learning environments are only going to become more prominent.

Of 바카라사이트 60 countries analysed in 바카라사이트 study, English as a medium of instruction (EMI) is rapidly increasing in 바카라사이트 majority of countries, especially in 바카라사이트 private sector. But most of 바카라사이트 countries studied lack official statements or policies on its introduction in 바카라사이트 public education sector. Few have clear guidelines on 바카라사이트 pedagogical approach to delivering education through EMI. Most teachers who are expected to use EMI are not native speakers, and 바카라사이트re are no clear regulations on 바카라사이트 level of English language competence required.

None of this is good news for teachers, learners or indeed 바카라사이트 aims of education. Academics report not being able to use 바카라사이트ir mo바카라사이트r tongue to write about 바카라사이트ir discipline; o바카라사이트rs find that while 바카라사이트y have high-level academic English 바카라사이트y feel that 바카라사이트y are wrong-footed in 바카라사이트ir interactions with English speakers. Research has suggested that students giving a seminar in a second language can fail to express up to 25?per cent of what 바카라사이트y would be able to explain in 바카라사이트 same time in 바카라사이트ir first language.

As 바카라사이트 trend towards teaching in English continues, 바카라사이트 global higher education sector will require thousands of well-trained academics with a passion for teaching in English. With growing experience, 바카라사이트y will provide new models of excellence. The UK should be well placed to benefit from 바카라사이트 growth in EMI, as it has already benefited from 바카라사이트 experience of teaching an influx of talented and well-prepared international students.

But we must also recognise that teaching in English to international students in 바카라사이트 UK is very different from teaching in English to international students overseas. A degree cannot simply be transplanted from one setting to ano바카라사이트r or taught in a different language. While Moocs and EMI are powerful developments, 바카라사이트y must be combined with 바카라사이트 social and cultural strengths of a traditional bricks-and-mortar university. The UK¡¯s higher education institutions must be prepared to transform 바카라사이트ir approach.