The current state and future directions of English-medium instruction (EMI) at Korean engineering universities

Abstract

Korean universities began offering EMI classes in the 1990s, and the number has significantly increased since the mid-2000s. By the year 2011, 30% of all classes offered by universities in the Seoul metropolitan area and 10% of those in other areas were conducted in English. Korean engineering universities have taken the lead in the implementation of EMI among Korean universities. This study examines how EMI started and has been implemented in Korean engineering universities and how Korean engineering professors and students perceive EMI. For these research objectives, the study reviews relevant literature on EMI in Korean engineering universities and the Korean government's EMI policies. It also reports the survey results of faculty and student questionnaires and interviews conducted in 2014 at the three major engineering universities, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), and Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST). In its conclusion, the study attempts to offer sound suggestions, including ICLHE, for the future development of EMI at Korean engineering universities.