To advance the localization of internationalization in higher education, the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) Centre for English Language Education (CELE) partnered with the Association for Educational Technology (AET) to host a week-long EMI (English-Medium Instruction) Bilingual Teacher Development Programme from October 31 to November 4. The intensive workshop was led in Beijing by Yuan and John, two experienced specialist English for Specific Purposes tutors from CELE. The programme aimed to create a platform for in-depth professional exchange, equipping frontline teachers with the latest EMI teaching concepts and practical classroom strategies.
Deepening the Philosophy · Anchoring the Core of EMI
The training began with “The Philosophy and Principles of EMI Teaching.” Mentors Yuan and John guided participants back to the fundamentals of teaching, exploring student-centered curriculum design and systematically analyzing the “key challenges” faced by EMI teachers and students in bilingual learning environments. By clarifying these principles, teachers built a solid theoretical foundation for subsequent skills development.
Practical Skills · Empowering the Full Teaching Cycle
Delivering a high-quality EMI course requires meticulous lesson design and classroom management. The programme covered essential skills ranging from classroom management strategies to teaching demonstration techniques. Special attention was given to “Feedback, Assessment, and Evaluation,” guiding teachers to apply Assessment for Learning (AfL) approaches—turning assessment tools into effective levers for promoting student learning and closing the loop between teaching and learning.
Localized Application · Focus on Real-Classroom Practice
How can international EMI concepts take root in Chinese classrooms? This question was at the heart of the training.
The programme featured two full units of “Case Study: Observation and Analysis,” allowing participants to bridge theory and real-world teaching through observation and discussion. The final sessions on “Localizing EMI Teaching in China” and the Q&A workshops closely integrated international insights with local practices, ensuring that training outcomes could be immediately applied in the classroom to address practical teaching challenges.
Over five days and ten intensive sessions, the programme received high praise and enthusiastic feedback from participating teachers, who reported not only gaining practical teaching tools but also gaining a deeper understanding of EMI pedagogy.
This programme represents a successful step by UNNC in advancing localized international education. Looking ahead, we aim to deepen collaboration further, leveraging UNNC’s international teaching resources more widely, exploring EMI teaching approaches with Chinese characteristics, and contributing to the development of high-quality talent with a global perspective.