What Can We Learn from Practice About Changing the Instructional Language?

Impacts and Teaching Techniques

For an increasing number of programmes, universities have been changing the language of instruction, typically to English, as a response to the challenges of internationalization and the harmonization of higher education in Europe. The reasons for the introduction of English-medium of instruction (EMI) have varied over the past 25 years, as illustrated by the example of Maastricht University. This article looks at the impact of EMI on learning, and in particular on the ways in which university teachers have adapted instructional techniques to cope with the changing context. Research shows no evidence that in full EMI programmes content learning is adversely affected by the change of language of instruction.