The positioning of English-medium of instruction: Winners and losers in “the game of EMI” at two Russian universities

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlespeer-review

Abstract

The proliferation of English-medium instruction (EMI) in higher education institutions (HEIs) across non-English-speaking Europe has been recently documented in several large-scale surveys. The opportunities and challenges of designing and implementing EMI policies are also widely recognized. However, our understanding of the use of EMI in Russian HEIs is limited. This study responds to this research need by exploring the experiences and perspectives of instructors teaching business-related subjects using the English language in two different Russian HEIs. A contribution of the study is to investigate these perspectives and experiences using the analytic lens of positioning theory. Results reveal the ways in which instructors are positioned by the university, as well how they position themselves, within an EMI environment. Acknowledging the potential antagonism that might result between different EMI stakeholders because of this positioning and repositioning, suggestions are then made as how this outcome could be avoided. Implications for future research are also considered. Copyright © 2020 John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)5-27
JournalJournal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education
Volume8
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2020

Citation

Trent, J. (2020). The positioning of English-medium of instruction: Winners and losers in “the game of EMI” at two Russian universities. Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education, 8(1), 5-27. doi: 10.1075/jicb.18029.tre

Keywords

  • English-medium of instruction
  • Positioning
  • Higher education
  • Russia

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The positioning of English-medium of instruction: Winners and losers in “the game of EMI” at two Russian universities'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.