Abstract

This thesis is a compilation of eight published works on English-medium instruction (EMI) at the tertiary level, accompanied by a commentary that synthesises the findings and discussions from these works. Over the past three decades, research on EMI at the tertiary level has advanced significantly. However, much of the focus remains on problem identification, particularly in three areas: English language issues, pedagogical and professional learning challenges, and stakeholder perceptions of EMI. The increasing volume of such research suggests the field has reached a saturation point, indicating a need for a new approach focused on problem-solving (Han, 2023; Macaro & Akıncıoğlu, 2018). Notably, the existing literature lacks research and discussion on solution models that address ongoing challenges, particularly in relation to the professionalisation of EMI and improving students' learning outcomes.

To address this gap, this thesis draws on Critical EMI, grounded in critical social theory (CST) and socio-cultural theory (SCT), to present and analyse eight of my published works in response to the central research question: What does research on multidisciplinary teacher collaboration and student perception suggest for the professionalisation of EMI at the tertiary level? These works share a coherent theme related to the professionalisation of EMI, with particular emphasis on students' academic outcomes, motivation, interdisciplinary teacher collaboration, and the professional development of EMI content-teachers. The works include one report (Dearden et al., 2015), four research articles (Dearden et al., 2016; Macaro & Akıncıoğlu, 2018; Macaro et al., 2020; Akıncıoğlu, 2024), two book chapters (Akıncıoğlu & Lin, 2021; Akıncıoğlu, 2022), and one conceptual article (Akıncıoğlu, 2023), all published by internationally recognised, peer-reviewed outlets.

Five of these published works (one report and four research papers) utilise data collected from the EMI Oxford Project, a mixed-methods research initiative conducted at Oxford University between 2014 and 2017. The first sub-project was a qualitative inquiry into interdisciplinary teacher collaboration in Turkish EMI universities, using data from pre- and post-intervention semi-structured interviews (Dearden et al., 2015; Macaro et al., 2016) and audio recordings of collaborative lesson planning (Akıncıoğlu, 2024). The second sub-project employed a quantitative approach, investigating the impact of variables such as year group, gender, and university type on Turkish students’ perceptions of EMI. The third sub-project focused on EMI teacher perspectives on professional development and certification through online surveys (Dearden et al., 2015; Macaro & Akıncıoğlu, 2018; Macaro et al., 2020).

The commentary synthesises qualitative and quantitative findings from these eight published works interpretively (Noblit & Hare, 1988), applying perspectives from Critical EMI, CST, and SCT to categorise major insights and introduce a solution-oriented guiding model for addressing EMI professionalisation challenges—the EMI Professionalisation Framework (EMI ProF). To achieve this, Miles and Huberman’s (1994) coding procedures (data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing/verification) were employed to extract themes from the qualitative and quantitative data of one report and four research articles. Additionally, narrative literature review techniques (Grant & Booth, 2009) were utilised to summarise and critically interpret the findings of one conceptual article and two chapters, facilitating thematic analysis and the discussion of emerging trends.

Reflecting on these findings, this thesis advocates for the professionalisation of EMI at the tertiary level to strengthen interdisciplinary teacher collaboration, improve students' academic content learning and motivation, and certify and recognise the competencies of EMI content-teachers. As a result, two frameworks are proposed: (1) a theoretical framework for EMI professionalisation, grounded in Freidson’s (2001) definition of professionalism, Evetts’ (2009) sources of professionalism, and Solbrekke and Englund’s (2011) concepts of professional responsibility and accountability; and (2) the EMI Professionalisation Framework (EMI ProF), a quality management programme for universities, designed to be implemented through institutional innovation projects. By prioritising strategic decision-making, quality assurance, sustainability, and improved learning outcomes in EMI programmes, this thesis makes an original contribution to the field through the EMI ProF. However, it is important to note that the EMI ProF should be viewed as a guiding model to stimulate further research and inquiry into professionalisation, rather than as a complete framework offering a definitive solution.

Lastly, the thesis calls for future research to focus on the implementation and refinement of models like the EMI ProF, given the global expansion of EMI and the pressing need for standardisation and quality management to ensure its effectiveness and sustainability.