Internazionalizzazione ed EMI in Italia: prospettive critiche

28 May 2025 15:00 CET (UTC +2)
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Meeting ID: 918 4361 3589
Passcode: EMISIG
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See below for English translation.

Internationalisation and EMI in Italy: critical perspectives

Internationalisation: Can we make it from EMI to multilingualism?

Amanda C. Murphy, CHEI - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

In this brief talk, I will explore the connection between English Medium Instruction (EMI) and the internationalisation of universities in Italy. EMI has become a strategic tool—like bees to a honey pot—for attracting international students and scholars. However, it's vital to distinguish between the mere Englishisation of academia and genuine internationalisation, which includes intercultural exchange and inclusive practices. Well-crafted university language policies can support both quality instruction and linguistic diversity. Finally, I will touch on the role of European University Alliances in Italy, which strive to promote internationalisation not only through English, but through multilingualism and cross-border collaboration.

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Language in EMI: some critical aspects

Carmel Mary Coonan, Università ca’ Foscari Venezia

EMI is one of the principal channels whereby the internationalisation process is promoted at universities. What drives the introduction of EMI into the university system in Italy is, according to the CRUI (2012), to favour “two aspects that are fundamental to University education: multiculturalism and multilingualism” 

In this talk the focus will be on the latter aspect – in consideration of the fact that language development is stated by students (especially domestic students) as an important reason for opting to follow an EMI course (CRUI 2018). The issue at hand is whether the hoped-for development in expertise in the language through following an EMI course can be left to its own devices or whether awareness and intervention are necessary – as the Dublin Descriptors that underpin university course objectives would seem to imply. Some issues implicated in this observation will be explored against the backcloth of “teaching styles that are still exclusively anchored to the Italian tradition” that not only limit the attractiveness of EMI courses for international students (Idem) but may also hinder the full potential of the ‘multilingual promise’ of EMI.

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The obligatory path: internationalization of Italian universities as an alternative to closure

Dario Consoli, QS Intelligence Unit

It started 20 years ago as a new service primarily aimed at Italian students (“Internationalization at home”). Today the internationalization of Italian universities is a duty to survive the birth crisis. The example of the University of Messina.

Webinar Report by 

Michela Gronchi PhD(c)

Title: Internationalisation and EMI in Italy: critical perspectives

Date: 28 May 2025

Venue: online (Zoom)

Available at https://emisig.baleap.org/events/past-events

Introduction and Rationale

This webinar emerged from ongoing discussions between members of the BALEAP EMI Special Interest Group (SIG) and the ICLHE Italy group, who identified a shared need to examine more critically the role of English Medium Instruction (EMI) in the internationalisation of Italian Higher Education (HE). These discussions were initiated and coordinated by Mustafa Akincioglu (University of Oxford, UK), Michela Gronchi (University of St Andrews, UK), Francesca Giuseppina Costa (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy), Olivia Mair Bunbury (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy), Stefania Cicillini (Università di Torino, Italy), with the valuable support from Daniela Standen (University of Reading, UK) and Ben Gutscher (Duke Kunshan University, China). These conversations highlighted the lack of public, cross-institutional dialogue around the pedagogical, linguistic, and policy-related dimensions of EMI, particularly within the Italian context.

As HE institutions continue to respond to globalisation pressures, the integration of EMI has often been treated as a one-size-fits-all solution. However, our SIG recognised the need for a more critical, nuanced examination of EMI’s actual impact, particularly on domestic student experiences, multilingualism, and pedagogical effectiveness. The organising group also recognised that internationalisation involves far more than language shift. It requires rethinking curricula, institutional strategies, and classroom practices to ensure inclusion, linguistic diversity, and intercultural understanding.

A key decision in organising the webinar was to adopt Italian as the working language. This was a deliberate and principled choice aimed at promoting an inclusive environment for all stakeholders involved in the Italian HE landscape, administrators, academics, researchers, and students alike. It also served to counteract the implicit positioning of English as the dominant or default language in discussions of internationalisation and EMI, aligning with the event’s broader critical and multilingual ethos.

Motivated by these reflections, the webinar was conceived as a space to bring together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to interrogate the assumptions behind EMI and share emerging critical perspectives from within and beyond Italy. The aim was to create a reflective space for critically engaged dialogue on the promise, pitfalls, and future pathways of EMI in Italy.

Presentations and Key Insights

1. Internationalisation: Can we make it from EMI to multilingualism?

Amanda C. Murphy, CHEI - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Professor Murphy opened the session by examining the instrumental use of EMI as a strategic tool for attracting international students and staff. However, she cautioned against conflating the adoption of English with genuine internationalisation. True internationalisation, she argued, requires intercultural engagement, inclusive practices, and a commitment to linguistic diversity. The presentation also highlighted the role of European University Alliances in promoting multilingual, transnational collaboration, offering a more holistic model than Englishisation alone.

2. Language in EMI: Some Critical Aspects

Carmel Mary Coonan, Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia Professor Coonan explored how language learning is positioned within EMI, particularly in light of the expectations of domestic students. While many students enrol in EMI courses hoping to develop their English skills, the assumption that language learning occurs passively through content exposure remains problematic. Drawing on national policy statements and the Dublin Descriptors, she called for intentional pedagogical strategies that support multilingual development. Coonan also raised concerns about traditional teaching styles in Italy, which may limit EMI’s potential and discourage international student engagement.

3. The Obligatory Path: Internationalisation of Italian Universities as an

Alternative to Closure Dario Consoli, QS Intelligence Unit Dario Consoli provided a broader institutional and historical perspective, focusing on the case of the University of Messina. He traced the evolution of internationalisation from an optional enhancement (“internationalisation at home”) to a strategic necessity for institutional survival in the face of demographic and economic pressures. His analysis underscored the structural drivers behind EMI adoption in Italy and the high stakes involved in internationalisation policies.

Emerging Themes and Reflections

A key theme that resonated across all presentations was the complex interplay between domestic and international student needs, a dynamic often oversimplified in EMI discourse. As highlighted in discussions during and after the event, mixing domestic and international students in EMI settings reveals deep-rooted pedagogical and sociolinguistic tensions. It became evident that these cannot be resolved by EMI teacher training alone.

Instead, a multidisciplinary approach is necessary, drawing on sociology, higher education studies, disciplinary literacies, and Critical EMI perspectives. This suggests a need to move beyond the technical implementation of EMI and toward more reflexive, research- informed practices that address issues of inclusion, language policy, and institutional culture.

Next Steps and SIG Development

Building on the momentum of this webinar, the BALEAP EMI SIG, in collaboration with colleagues from the ICLHE Italy group, sees this event as a foundational step towards fostering a more critical and context-aware discussion of EMI practices in Italy. For many, this was not just an opportunity to share insights but a call to action to rethink EMI in ways that are inclusive, reflective, and responsive to the realities on the ground.

This event marked the beginning of a broader effort to bring together all relevant stakeholders, educators, researchers, students, and institutional leaders, in an open dialogue. One critical issue raised concerns the integration of domestic and international students within EMI settings. Are institutional managers and policymakers fully aware of the tensions and challenges this mixing may produce? Do they see it as a problem that needs addressing or even as an issue at all? What kinds of solutions are being imagined, and by whom?

To explore these and other pressing questions, we are planning a series of follow-up

initiatives, including:

• In-person workshops that provide space for collaborative inquiry and hands-on exploration of key themes such as multilingual pedagogies, student inclusion, and language policy development;

• Panel discussions featuring interdisciplinary perspectives from applied linguistics, sociology, education policy, and disciplinary literacies, with an emphasis on integrating voices often left out of institutional decision-making;

• Thematic events dedicated to specific challenges raised during the webinar, for instance, the dynamics between domestic and international student populations, and the sociolinguistic implications of EMI in diverse university contexts.

Importantly, these events will actively involve students themselves, both international and domestic, inviting them to share their experiences, concerns, and suggestions. Their insights are crucial for understanding how EMI is lived and negotiated in everyday academic life, and for imagining practices that are not only pedagogically sound but socially just.

These initiatives aim not only to support ongoing professional development but to cultivate a sustained, inclusive dialogue. By convening a wide range of voices and perspectives, both local and global, we hope to continue advancing critical, inclusive, and context- sensitive approaches to EMI in higher education.

Conclusion

This webinar marked an important step in broadening our understanding of EMI in the Italian context. Rather than treating Englishisation as a panacea, the presentations challenged us to think critically about what meaningful internationalisation entails and how our practices, policies, and pedagogies must evolve to meet the complex realities of diverse student populations.