Topic: Designing an Effective EMI Framework in STEM Training: the case of the University of Toulouse, France
- Speaker: Nadia Yassine-Diab
- Moderator: Anna Krukiewicz-Gacek, AGH University of Krakow
- Participants will receive certificates of participation
- Please register here to join the meet-up: English Medium Instruction SIG Online Meet-up V
Speaker
Nadia Yassine-Diab, an Assistant Professor at the University of Toulouse (UT). She has been teaching ESOL students for the last twenty years in different contexts such as public universities, engineering schools and the equivalent to state colleges. Her teaching and research interests are digital game-based language learning and teaching, artificial intelligence and language learning, collaboration and peer learning, EMI and multilingualism in today’s world. She is also the Head of the Modern Languages Department at UT.
About the talk
As internationalization reshapes higher education across Europe, English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) is becoming increasingly widespread even in traditionally non-Anglophone contexts such as France. Since the enactment of the Fioraso Law (2013), French universities have expanded their English-taught programmes. Many of these initiatives, however, have emerged as isolated efforts by individual lecturers, often without institutional or pedagogical support to address the dual challenge of teaching disciplinary content while navigating a foreign language.
At the University of Toulouse, a significant shift has been recently initiated to address this gap. Involving science lecturers, English for Specific Purposes (ESP) instructors from the Department of Languages and instructional designers, the project fosters a structured collaboration to support upcoming EMI practice, while offering a shared space for dialogue, training and innovation.
Following an exploratory diagnostic survey in late 2024, a modular training program was developed in 2025. It integrates digital tools, reflective teaching EMI strategies, localized pedagogical approaches, and an introduction to intercultural communication which all offer a flexible yet coherent framework tailored to teaching science in English.
This presentation explores the transition from isolated individual efforts to a more collaborative, interdisciplinary model. It highlights hybridization practices, faculty perceptions, and the impact on teaching and learning in a foreign language. The case offers insights into how universities could support sustainable EMI through shared expertise and contextualized frameworks—particularly relevant in non-Anglophone contexts.
What is UNIVERSEH EMI Special Interest Group?
The UNIVERSEH EMI Special Interest Group brings together teachers, researchers, and administrative staff across the UNIVERSEH alliance who are engaged in English-Medium Instruction (EMI) and English-Medium Education (EME). They work in multilingual, international, and intercultural academic environments — and this group is our space to connect.
What they do
The meet-ups offer a dynamic space to:
- Share experiences across disciplines and institutions
- Raise questions about EMI practice
- Explore challenges and solutions together
The activities include:
- Online meet-ups
- Presentations at conferences
- Open discussions
Topics include:
- Teacher development
- Classroom pedagogic strategies and techniques
- Multilingualism and multiculturalism in EMI … and much more
Who should join? The group’s talks and events are for:
- University teachers who teach their subject in English
- Professional development staff – e.g., those running EMI/EME preparation or academic English or EMI courses
- Researchers and academics with an interest in EMI/EME practices
- All members of the academic community interested in multilingual and intercultural higher education
Do you want to join? Contact:
Anna Krukiewicz-Gacek
AGH University of Krakow, SIG Convener
