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Students’ Experiences of English-Medium Instruction at the Postgraduate Level: Challenges and Sustainable Support for Success

Author

Listed:
  • Benjamin Luke Moorhouse

    (Department of Education Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China)

  • Yuwei Wan

    (Department of Education Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China)

Abstract

More and more students are exploring overseas destinations and English-Medium Instruction (EMI) environments for their postgraduate studies. While it is known that students can often struggle in an EMI environment, the challenges faced by postgraduate students, and the support they receive or need, are not fully understood. By adopting a two-stage qualitative sequential data collection approach, this study explored the experiences and perceptions of full-time postgraduate students from Mainland China studying in a one-year Master of Education programme at a Hong Kong university during their first semester. Data were collected through an online survey ( N = 73) and three in-depth group interviews ( N = 12). The analysis of data offered a holistic understanding of the students’ challenges, needs, and struggles. The findings provide suggestions for support that teachers and programmes can provide to postgraduate students, as well as student self-help support strategies. Several sustainable support strategies are proposed to assist students in adjusting and succeeding in the EMI context at the postgraduate level.

Suggested Citation

  • Benjamin Luke Moorhouse & Yuwei Wan, 2023. "Students’ Experiences of English-Medium Instruction at the Postgraduate Level: Challenges and Sustainable Support for Success," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-19, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:4:p:3243-:d:1064380
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nedelko, Zlatko & PotoÄ an, Vojko & Zlatanović, Dejana, 2019. "Innovativeness in higher education organizations," Proceedings- 11th International Conference on Mangement, Enterprise and Benchmarking (MEB 2019),, Óbuda University, Keleti Faculty of Business and Management.
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