A situated analysis of English-medium education in a private business university: Insights from the ROAD-MAPPING framework

Abstract

As English-medium education (EME) expands globally, this paper focuses on the need for a situated analysis of the contextual factors possibly influencing students' English language development at a private business university in Spain. Using the ROAD-MAPPING framework (Dafouz & Smit, 2016) as an analytical and theoretical model, the study highlights the sociolinguistic dynamics that can affect student English proficiency in such EME programmes. Focusing on two different cohorts (English-medium and Spanish-medium degree students), with varying levels of training in English for Academic Purposes (EAP), our analysis suggests that this private university's efforts to organise regular interdepartmental meetings between content lecturers and EAP professionals contributes to improvements in classroom practices and course syllabi relating to disciplinary language learning in English. Moreover, by viewing internationalisation as central to university life, and emphasising the importance of English to achieve it, the study shows how an international stance also shapes students' disciplinary language development. The active promotion of EAP programmes for the whole student population, irrespective of the language of instruction, underscores their crucial role in this private business university. Finally, the paper closes with suggestions for further research in the form of emerging questions using the ROAD-MAPPING framework.