Abstract The Higher Education system of Kazakhstan has moved from depending on the Soviet legacies toward internationalization, adopting a trilingual education policy, joining the Bologna Process, aligning with the European Higher Education Area, strengthening collaborations with international universities, and fostering academic mobility. As a result, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of English Medium Instruction (EMI) programs offered by Kazakhstani universities. However, despite the growing popularity of EMI, there is very little empirical evidence on university students’ transition experiences from non-EMI backgrounds to EMI studies. Using a qualitative research design, this study investigated university students’ experiences of EMI studies, particularly their transition from L1 to EMI studies at Kazakhstani universities. Specifically, the study looked at the students’ language practices, challenges, beliefs, and management strategies. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus-group discussions with students and instructors from eight purposefully selected EMI universities across five main cities. The findings revealed a divergence in the experiences of students transitioning from non-EMI to EMI contexts. The role of pre-immersion exposure to English, the impact of diverse educational backgrounds, students’ coping strategies, and the perceived benefits and opportunities of EMI studies emerged as key findings of this study. Understanding the students’ experiences of transition to EMI and associated challenges may help policymakers revisit EMI policies to address the tensions between macro-level EMI policies and the micro-level student struggles, calling to align policy aspirations with on-the-ground realities.
Tajik et al. (Fri,) studied this question.
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