As English-medium instruction (EMI) gradually becomes a central pillar in the transformation of higher education, the Office of Bilingual Education Initiatives and the EMI Teaching and Learning Center at Taiwan Tech have once again partnered with University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine). Bringing together an interdisciplinary teaching team from UC Irvine spanning management, humanities, biology, and engineering, and working collaboratively with Taiwan Tech faculty, they jointly designed a one-week “EMI Teacher Professional Development Program” totaling 36 hours. This year’s program has been further expanded in scale. Through international teaching collaboration and practice-oriented training, it comprehensively enhances EMI teaching capabilities among faculty in Taiwan’s higher education institutions, attracting 113 participants from 28 universities and colleges across Taiwan.
The UC Irvine scholar delegation engaged in experience-sharing sessions with the Office of Bilingual Education Initiatives.
UC Irvine Professor Scott Atwood shared insights on teaching and research.
The “EMI Teacher Professional Development Program” builds upon the collaborative foundation established during Taiwan Tech’s exchange visit to the United States in 2025, further deepening the partnership in both teaching and research. According to Shao-Ting Hung, Executive Director of the Office of Bilingual Education Initiatives at Taiwan Tech, “This training is not only about importing experience, but also about deepening inter-university collaboration.” Through dialogue with top international teams, faculty can transform inspiration from EMI teaching into practice, laying a solid foundation for future resource sharing and cross-national research collaboration.
The program is structured into three major modules, with international scholars delivering keynote speeches and workshops. The first two modules focus on key topics such as EMI pedagogy, the practical application of AI-assisted teaching tools, and scholarship of teaching and learning, helping faculty grasp current global teaching trends. The third module, guided by international scholars, emphasizes the use of digital tools and classroom interaction design, enabling teachers to effectively facilitate deep thinking and discussion among students in multicultural and English-medium environments, thereby enhancing classroom management and teaching quality.
UC Irvine Professor Devin Shanthikumar delivered a keynote speech titled “Back to Basics: The Growing Importance of Fundamentals in the AI Era.”
UC Irvine Professor Jung Hsien Lin led a workshop, guiding participating faculty through teaching practice activities.
The highlight of this year’s program lies in the immersive “teaching demonstration” sessions. Participating faculty were required to design their own EMI courses and conduct live teaching demonstrations. UC Irvine experts observed the sessions and provided immediate feedback, offering comprehensive evaluation and suggestions on teaching structure, language strategies, and student engagement. Through this intensive and hands-on process, participants were able to refine their teaching strategies in real time and gain diverse perspectives through interaction with international experts and peers, further strengthening their practical EMI teaching skills. UC Irvine Professor Patrick Hong also remarked, “A willingness to invest effort in improving teaching is the most valuable quality of a professional educator.”
An EMI instructor from National Taiwan Normal University shared that this was their first time participating in EMI training and a teaching demonstration: “I was very nervous at first, but with the professors’ supportive guidance and encouragement from peers, my confidence in engaging with EMI has greatly increased!” A faculty member from National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology noted that the program was well-structured and highly practical, especially the teaching demonstrations and hands-on activities, which were extremely helpful for self-reflection.
UC Irvine Professor Patrick Hong (right) shared bilingual teaching experiences with a participating instructor (left).
Group photo of the 36-hour “EMI Teacher Professional Development Program” upon completion.
The Office of Bilingual Education Initiatives at Taiwan Tech stated that it will continue to deepen its partnership with UC Irvine in the future. In addition to planning more advanced training programs, it will also promote co-development of international courses and collaborative teaching research, further expanding global academic connections. By continuously integrating high-quality international resources and strengthening faculty teaching expertise, Taiwan Tech will continue to play a leading role in EMI teaching innovation, creating a learning environment that combines global vision with practical depth, and cultivating internationally competitive talent.