Abstract:

Today the English language plays a big role in training future engineers. Recruiters need engineers having not only professional fundamental and practical skills but also English skills for finding information in the Internet; reading actual information from professional fields in books, scientific papers; communicating with foreign colleagues in conferences, forums and etc. Moreover, English is a main language for publication in technical scientific journals. The needs of the modern global market influence on the process of Internationalization of Higher Education as the whole as well as the Education of the engineers. Thus, many Universities have adopted English as an instruction medium. One of the important ways for developing of the modern universities is to offer degree programs in English. The curriculum includes courses which use English for teaching non-language subjects where English is a foreign language for students. An English medium instruction (EMI) is highly actual in different non-English speaking countries: “According to several experts, English spoken by non-native speakers (NNS) of it outnumbers its native speakers (NS)”. It was the main reason of changing the concept of teaching and learning English: the methodological approach EFL (English as a foreign language) is complemented with the new one – EMI (English as medium of instruction) and it is a rapid developing phenomenon. Thus, many universities have adopted English as an instruction medium. Moreover, many higher institutions use EMI (English as medium of instruction) to become competitive. The paper describes the ways of EMI implementation in engineering education in non-English countries in Europe, Asia and problems faced by foreign universities. Most universities have similar problems in implementing EMI. The ways of lecturing on professional fields in English used in Tomsk Polytechnic University are described.

Keywords:

English as medium of instruction, University, curriculum, engineering training, international students.