Key Issues in the Internationalization of Education: The case of English

Internationalization has become one of the priority objectives of higher education institutions along with the enhancement of multilingual instruction. In this enduring process, English has taken the lead as both the language of learning and an irresistible force in the education systems of many non-English-speaking countries. The present investigation raises awareness on both the ideological and practical issues associated with English as an academic lingua franca (ELF) as well as with its more traditional role as a foreign language. One of the manifestations of Italy’s commitment to the process of internationalization is the dramatic increase not only in the number of foreign students enrolled in the country’s universities (CRUI 2018), but also in the provision of courses with a strong focus on languages, such as English for Specific Purposes (ESP), English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI), and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). By acknowledging the inherent language component of these approaches, the study sheds light on the role of English in education, in the curricular provision, and presents several different factors that need to be considered when planning university courses