Shaping tomorrow’s EMI policy: Voices of degree‑seeking international students in South Korea’s higher education

Abstract

Adopting English‑medium instruction (EMI) has become a norm for many higher education institutions in non‑English‑speaking countries as part of their efforts to position themselves as attractive study‑abroad destinations. South Korea is no exception in this regard. While this trend has drawn international student enrollment and fostered a more globalized student body, the experiences and perspectives of international students – also key stakeholders of EMI – remain relatively underexplored. Drawing upon a multi‑layered analytical framework grounded in language policy, the study brings to the fore the voices of degree‑seeking international students from diverse linguistic and disciplinary backgrounds and examines what shaped their perceptions of being integrated into or marginalized from their academic environment in relation to EMI. The findings reveal both shared challenges and context‑specific differences in their experiences, indicating a discrepancy between EMI policy and its implementation in practice and highlighting institutional issues that warrant attention. The importance of the study lies in its timely retrospection upon the evolving discourse on EMI within South Korea’s higher education. It also offers insights into fostering a more inclusive and equitable learning environment for international students from diverse backgrounds.