Research gaps

Despite the fact that more and more university degrees and post-graduate courses are taught entirely in English, little specific empirical analysis has been carried out in relation to the linguistic, cultural and academic challenges derived from the use of English within the classroom. Likewise, few studies have been conducted in Spain concerning the impact of bilingual degrees and their relation to students’ career opportunities, international projection or intercultural competence.

 

What? Objectives

Given these research gaps, the main objective of this international and interdisciplinary project, which brings together linguists and economics and business teachers, is to offer guidelines, which may help: 1) institutions and teachers to put into practice a more effective teaching strategy in English; 2) students to improve their English academic skills (both oral and written) and to be able to cope in a better way with curricular contents in English as well as to have more institutional support.

 

How? Addressing the challenges

The main linguistic challenges of students and teachers oral and written skills shall be studied through quantitative and qualitative analyses. Cultural challenges shall also be examined from the perspective of the Business Management Degree, dealing with possible intercultural differences. To that purpose and intent, four different university contexts shall take part in the study: Austria, Spain, Finland and Great Britain. Finally, academic challenges will be analyzed by focusing, first, on students grades in the subjects of the Business Management curriculum (both the bilingual and non-bilingual groups) and on their English language skills. The degree of employability of students enrolled in the bilingual program will then be considered.

 

Outcomes: Specific guidelines

The specific guidelines designed for these purposes will be made available on a guide for best practices as well as on a free-access web platform aimed at both students and teachers. This guide shall include specific linguistic-discursive strategies, text models and didactic resources.

 

In a nutshell...

The project aims to respond to the linguistic, cultural and academic needs of bilingual degrees and to promote joint reflection among society and universities as well as to contribute effectively to the process of internalization of higher education.