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EMI Courses Q&A (For Faculty and Staff)

Q1. What is an EMI (English as a Medium of Instruction) course?

A: EMI refers to the courses offered in non-English speaking institutions where the delivery of content, teacher-student interaction, the learning and academic support materials, and the demonstration and assessment of learning outcomes are 100% in English. The relevant instructions are as follows:

    1. English courses that focus on language learning rather than specialized academic content should not be classified as EMI courses, except for ESL, EAP (English for Academic Purpose), or ESP (English for Special Purposes) courses, which should be emphasized.
    2. For EMI courses, 100% of the delivery of content, teacher-student interaction, the learning materials, and the demonstration and assessment of learning outcomes (such as oral presentations, assignments, or tests) should be in English.
    3. In certain circumstances, students may interact with each other in Chinese, for example, during group discussions where Chinese may be used briefly to facilitate creative thinking and brainstorming. However, students are still expected to present their discussions in English, and should be encouraged to use English more often in classroom discussions as their English proficiency improves or as they choose to take more EMI courses.
    4. Meanwhile, students should also present their discussions in English. The use of other languages in the classroom should be limited, and student interaction in small groups may be in other languages to facilitate mutual understanding and creative thinking, and teachers should ensure that at least 70% of classroom communication is in English.

Q2. How is the EMI course different from the original English-taught course?

A: EMI courses should be 100% in English for the delivery of content, teacher-student interaction, the learning materials, and the demonstration and assessment of learning outcomes (such as oral presentations, assignments, or tests). Student interactions in small groups may be in other languages to facilitate mutual understanding and creative thinking, and teachers should ensure that at least 70% of classroom communication is in English.

The only requirement for English-taught courses is that the teacher's syllabus and the delivery of content shall be in English (in some circumstances, this may be supplemented by Chinese), with no requirement for the percentage of students using English in class discussions or presentations.

Q3. Are there any rewards for teachers to teach EMI courses?

A: Starting from the second semester of the 2021 school year, the original English-taught rewards policy has been terminated and the new "EMI Rewards Policy" (approved by the 602nd Executive Council) has been introduced. For more information, please refer to the website of the Office of Academic Affairs. Please note that the award recipients, eligibility criteria, and amounts are different from those in the past, so please read them carefully to avoid affecting your rights.

  1. Please make sure that the course is marked as an "EMI course" when opening an EMI course. In the EMI course, 100% of the delivery of content, teacher-student interaction, the learning materials, and the demonstration and assessment of learning outcomes (e.g., oral presentations, assignments, or tests) should be in English. Student interactions in small groups may be in other languages to facilitate mutual understanding and creative thinking, and teachers should ensure that at least 70% of classroom communication is in English.
  2. If the course is not taught in 100% English, the course should be marked as "English-taught" at the beginning of the course. For English-taught courses, English is used only for the teacher's syllabus and the delivery of content (in some cases, this may be supplemented by Chinese). There is no requirement for students to use English in class discussions or presentations.
  3. If the course is marked as an EMI course and meets the requirements of the "EMI Rewards Policy", the course will be eligible for the EMI teaching rewards.

Q4. Is there a limit to the number of students who can attend EMI courses?

A: The minimum number of students for our courses is 10 for undergraduate courses and 5 for graduate courses, so the EMI courses shall follow the same regulation. However, if you want to apply for the EMI award, you should meet the basic requirements of "10 students for undergraduate courses and 5 students for graduate courses after excluding foreign students".

Q5. Can I invite faculty members to co-teach in EMI courses?

A: Of course, please follow the guidelines for co-teaching by industry experts, but the invited expert should still use 100% English for the delivery of content, teacher-student interaction, the learning and academic support materials, etc.

 

Q6. How can students get information about the EMI courses offered by each department?

A: For course information, please refer to the course catalog system and select "EMI" in the "Other Items" column. The "Remarks" column of the course will be marked with the word EMI.

Q7. How do I let students know the level of English they should have for the EMI course they are taking?

A: Teachers shall provide complete course information when uploading the course syllabus and add a description of the course in the course notes column. Students can then refer to the course syllabus on the course search website for relevant information for course selection.

Q8. Are there any supports to help teachers develop their teaching skills for EMI courses from the university?

A: The Center for Teaching and Learning Development and the Language Center hold lectures and workshops from time to time. Teachers and teaching assistants are welcome to register, please visit the center's website for more relevant information.

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