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9 - Perpetuating Inequality in Higher Education EMI in Ethiopia, Poland, and Japan

from Part II - Identity and Educational Justice

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2025

By
Jim McKinley ,
Tolera Simie  and
Agata Mikołajewska
Edited by
Seyyed-Abdolhamid Mirhosseini  and
Peter I. De Costa
Seyyed-Abdolhamid Mirhosseini
Affiliation:
University of Hong Kong
Peter I. De Costa
Affiliation:
Michigan State University
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Summary

Inequality in higher education English Medium Instruction (EMI) is mainly discussed in Global South contexts, where socioeconomic status and rural–urban contrasts are often identified as the main drivers. In this chapter we present the situation of EMI inequalities in three very different national contexts – Ethiopia, Poland, and Japan – with provision of empirical evidence in support of arguments made. The authors have been involved in researching EMI in these contexts and issues of inequalities arose in our data as important concerns that should be discussed. In this chapter we promote the argument that, contrary to education ministries’ insistence, EMI may present limited opportunities or, where socioeconomic issues can be overcome, it may present new opportunities for marginalised populations in certain disciplines. We argue that EMI should not be heralded as a solution to any range of problems, emphasising that even across a range of socioeconomies EMI brings opportunities only for certain sectors of the population. We conclude with suggestions for how EMI might be used more effectively to achieve the goals it is often intended for.

Keywords

EMI opportunities and limitationshigher education inequalitysocioeconomic statusrural–urban contrasts
Type
Chapter
Information
Critical English Medium Instruction in Higher Education , pp. 146 - 162
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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