[Okayama University] Okayama University Conducts FD Seminar on "English-Medium Instruction (EMI) for University Faculty"

On May 31, 2026, Okayama University (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Okayama City; President: Tomohiro Nasu) announced that its Institute for Education Promotion held an FD seminar on EMI (English-Medium Instruction) on May 14, 2026, inviting instructors from its partner institution, the University of Adelaide, Australia. Supported by the University Consortium, a total of 14 faculty members—12 from Okayama University and 2 from other universities in the prefecture—participated. The seminar was divided into two parts: "Current Status and Challenges of EMI" and "Student Support in EMI Classes." Participants engaged in active learning sessions incorporating group work to proactively learn about mindsets and effective teaching methods for EMI. In the first part, case studies were used to examine countermeasures for challenges Japanese faculty face in English instruction. In the second part, practical workshops demonstrated that "English proficiency" and "EMI teaching ability" are distinct, and that acquiring appropriate teaching methods enables effective instruction. Professor Shun Kano of the Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, who participated in the training, stated, "This EMI seminar was very educational. While I have opportunities to interact with overseas researchers in English, communicating with native English-speaking instructors and exchanging opinions with participants from different fields presented unique challenges. I realized that English proficiency and EMI teaching skills are separate issues, and it was a valuable opportunity to think about how to teach specialized subjects in English. I would definitely like to participate if there are similar programs in the future." The post-training survey showed that all respondents gave high marks for the seminar's usefulness. EMI in higher education has expanded as the core of global university internationalization, but it has now moved beyond the stage of simply "teaching in English" to a phase where the quality of education itself is being questioned. To respond to this global trend, the university will continue to provide such FD opportunities and strive to further improve the quality of education. Please continue to look forward to the initiatives of Okayama University, an open, core regional, and distinctive research university.