English‐medium instruction at a university in Macau: Policy and realities

ABSTRACT This paper discusses the sociolinguistic background to the use of English in higher education in Macau by presenting the results of a sociolinguistic survey on the use of English in a privately‐owned university in the special administrative region of Macau. A survey of language use and attitudes was administered to 26 teaching staff and 227 undergraduate students at the university in mid‐2012. The results report on the status and functions of English at the university, as well as attitudes and ideologies. However, they also point to a gap between the stated policy of the institution and the realities of language use at the university, and also provide insights into the ways in which English is used outside the formal curriculum.