On May 14, the Institute for Promotion of Education and Campus Life held a faculty development (FD) workshop on English-Medium Instruction (EMI), inviting instructors from The University of Adelaide, one of Okayama University’s partner institutions. With public relations support from the university consortium, the workshop was attended by 14 faculty members, including 12 from Okayama University and two from other universities in Okayama Prefecture.

The workshop consisted of two sessions: “Current Trends and Challenges in EMI” and “Student Support in EMI Classes.” Through active-learning sessions incorporating group work, participants engaged proactively in learning about effective teaching methods and the mindset required for EMI instruction.

In the first session, participants examined case studies and discussed approaches to challenges commonly faced by Japanese faculty members teaching in English. The second session emphasized that English proficiency and EMI teaching skills are distinct competencies, demonstrating through practical activities that effective EMI classes can be achieved through appropriate instructional methods and classroom design.

Professor KANO Jun, Research Professor in the Faculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, who participated in the workshop, commented:

“This EMI workshop was extremely informative. I regularly communicate in English with overseas researchers, but interacting with native English-speaking instructors and exchanging opinions with participants from different academic fields presented a different kind of challenge. At the same time, I realized that English proficiency and EMI teaching ability are separate issues, and the workshop provided a valuable opportunity to think about strategies for teaching specialized subjects in English. I would definitely like to participate again if similar programs are offered in the future.”

According to the post-workshop survey, all respondents gave highly positive evaluations regarding the usefulness and effectiveness of the program.

EMI in higher education has expanded globally as a core component of university internationalization. However, the focus has now shifted beyond simply “teaching in English” toward ensuring the overall quality of education itself. In response to this global trend, Okayama University will continue providing FD opportunities such as this workshop in order to further enhance the quality of education.

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Please note that this content was translated by a machine and may contain errors.