Under the promotion of bilingual policies, the Office of Bilingual Education Initatives of Taiwan Tech has worked to enhance the quality of EMI courses. Over the past two years, various research projects have explored diverse teaching strategies, with their findings published in international journals. To promote academic exchange, the office recently held a “Bilingual Research Presentation Conference” focusing on EMI's “teaching”, “learning” and “classroom assessment” inviting scholars from both Taiwan and abroad to discuss the challenges and opportunities of bilingual education.

The Office of Bilingual Education Initatives of Taiwan Tech hosts “Bilingual Research Presentation conference” to enhance EMI teaching quality and promote academic exchange, bringing together scholars to discuss the challenges and opportunities of bilingual education.

Agenda for the Bilingual Research Presentation Conference.

The conference features two distinguished international scholars delivering keynote speeches to share their expertise on EMI teaching. Professor Rong-Xian Lin from the University of California, Irvine, will present on “Bridging Perspectives: Navigating EMI Challenges and Opportunities through Classroom Experiences in Taiwan and the U.S.” He will explore the similarities and differences in EMI teaching environments between Taiwan and the U.S., analyzing the challenges and opportunities faced by teachers, students, and academic institutions, offering participants a more comprehensive perspective on the key factors in promoting EMI courses.

Professor Rong-Xian Lin from the University of California, Irvine, explores the opportunities and challenges faced by Taiwan and the U.S. in EMI from multiple perspectives.

Professor Pariwat Imsa-ard from Thammasat University, Thailand, will present on “Assessment in EMI: What Really Matters for Learners and Educators”, addressing common misconceptions in EMI teaching. He will delve into the core values and objectives of EMI classroom assessment and provide recommendations for teachers in designing EMI assessments. The expert insights and engaging presentations by both speakers will inspire attendees to think more deeply about EMI teaching and open up more possibilities for practice and development.

Professor Pariwat Imsa-ard from Thammasat University, Thailand, addresses common misconceptions in EMI teaching, exploring the essence and purpose of classroom assessment and offering recommendations for teachers when designing assessments.

During the presentation session, the Office of Bilingual Education Initatives selected four research papers published in international journals, which include: “Examining the Effectiveness of an EMI Preparatory Program and the Relationship Among Affective Factors”, “Exploring Language Use in an EMI Environment: Students’ Translanguaging Practices and Semiotic Repertoires”, “A Study of the Correlation of EAP and BESTEP: Focusing on 'Global Communication in English at Taiwan Tech”, and “Learning Motivation, Experiences, and Obstacles in EMI Classrooms: Students’ Perspectives from Diverse Disciplines and Domains.” These papers explore the impact of EMI preparatory courses on affective factors, students' language practices and semiotic use in EMI classrooms, the relationship between academic English programs and language proficiency tests, and the learning motivation and challenges of students from various academic backgrounds in EMI courses.

Additionally, six ongoing research projects were introduced, covering topics such as the impact of psychological factors on EMI learning performance, challenges in implementing bilingual policies, and EMI classroom assessment criteria. Through this presentation, researchers received valuable feedback and suggestions to further deepen their research.

Attendees attentively listened to the presentations, engaging in discussions on EMI teaching strategies and development.

The conference also invited scholars from several universities in Taiwan to provide feedback, including Associate Professor Yu-Ting Kao from National Cheng Kung University, Assistant Professor Hsiang-Ling Huang from Taipei Medical University, Assistant Professor Rui-Teng Liao from National Taiwan Ocean University, Associate Professor Hsin-I Chen from National Taipei University of Technology, Associate Professor Heng-Tsung Danny Huang and Lecturer Li-Sheng Lee from National Taiwan University, and Associate Professor Yi-Ping Huang from National Chengchi University. The scholars conducted in-depth analyses of the research projects, discussing whether data collection methods met the research questions' needs, and offering suggestions and expectations for ongoing studies. To foster interaction, the conference not only allowed for on-site questions but also utilized the Padlet platform, enabling participants to ask questions and engage in real-time responses, encouraging deeper academic dialogue.

Finally, Associate Professor Heng-Tsung Danny Huang from National Taiwan University, representing the attendees, expressed approval of the conference, stating that this academic exchange was beneficial in improving EMI teaching quality and providing important references for the future development of bilingual education. The director of Office of Bilingual Education Initatives of Taiwan Tech, Shao-Ting Alan Hong also thanked the scholars and international speakers for their participation, expressing hope that the team would continue to deepen EMI research and achieve more fruitful results in the field of bilingual education. Taiwan Tech will continue to optimize EMI courses, enhancing students’ international competitiveness and laying a more solid foundation for Taiwan's bilingual education development.