Foreign Language Proficiency Reflected in English-Medium Instruction Settings

Study programmes using English as a medium of instruction (EMI) are believed to improve the students’ English proficiency and therefore result in a workforce that is more fluent in English (Galloway et al. 2017). Starting from this premise, the aim of this paper is two-fold. Firstly, it brings into discussion aspects related to the foreign language proficiency of students who attend an EMI-based study programme at the University of Craiova, namely Computer Science (Faculty of Automation, Computers and Electronics). Secondly, it highlights the opportunities and challenges that these students encounter during their studies with regard to studying in a foreign language. Based on quantitative research derived from the administration of online questionnaires to students and academic staff, this study presents not only the benefits of studying in EMI environments, as perceived by the direct stakeholders involved in the process, but also the challenges and limitations encountered.