Standards of English in Higher Education
Subtitle: Issues, Challenges and Strategies
Publisher: University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations
Published: 2015
Language: eng
Number of pages: 314
ISBN-13: 9781107032781
Subjects: Language and education; English language; College students
Description: "The student demographic of universities today has changed quite dramatically from even a decade ago. As universities seek to internationalise, widen participation and derive attendant reputational and financial benefits, along with greater opportunities for research collaborations and industry links, they also face a growing challenge associated with what Neil Murray terms 'the English language question'. In particular, as the proportion of students of non-English speaking backgrounds entering universities increases, there is growing concern over levels of language proficiency and what this can mean for educational standards, the student experience and, ultimately, institutional standing. Standards of English in Higher Education unpacks a number of key and interrelated issues - for example, the assessment of proficiency and the structure and nature of provision - that bear on the question of English language standards and in doing so offers a frank critical appraisal of English language in higher education today"--

"In an era of globalisation and ever-increasing student mobility, there are few people working in higher education today, whether as managers, academics or administrators, who are unaware of the increasing prominence of English language as a key - many would say contentious - issue in the sector. The number of English-medium universities, where all or part of the curriculum is delivered via the medium of English, is growing as institutions try to acquire a share of what is now the global enterprise of education. Significantly, these institutions are no longer confined primarily to those countries where English is used as the native tongue - what Kachru (1988) referred to as the 'inner circle' countries, in his frequently cited Concentric Circles model. Increasingly, universities worldwide are looking at the possibility of offering programmes or modules in English in an effort to attract international students, ensure their long-term viability, and enhance their reputations as global institutions with an international outlook and the ability to produce graduates who are equipped to meet the expectations of employers in what is a changing, increasingly multicultural workplace, where communication skills are regarded as more important than ever"--