English-medium instruction in higher education institutions in Northern Brazil: a single pilot case study

Abstract

English-medium instruction (EMI) is instrumental in the process of internationalisation of higher education in non-English-speaking countries. Still in its infancy in Brazil, this medium of instruction is gaining momentum, but less so in the north of the country. As an attempting to understand the practice of EMI in higher education institutions in this region, a pilot single case study was designed to explore the perceptions of a professor from an Amazonian university on this issue. Data were collected with an electronic self-completion questionnaire. Adopting a phenomenological approach, data were analysed following the Ladder of Analytical Abstraction of T. F. Carney. Results indicate that the respondent sees EMI as an opportunity for language development and for advancing the Brazilian government’s agenda on internationalisation of higher education. The respondent also believes that among the major issues preventing faster and adequate implementation of EMI programmes in Brazil is the lack of comprehensive and continuing EMI preparation courses extensive to all five regions of the country.