A SURVEY OF EMI AT THE TERTIARY LEVEL IN THE ARAB GULF: ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

While an abundance of fossil fuels has helped Gulf Arab countries develop rapidly over the past several decades, governments in the region have invested heavily in education, science, and technology relatively recently as a means to diversify their economies in order to ensure their continued growth. In the process, English, as the perceived language of science and technology, has been adopted as the medium of instruction (EMI) in most tertiary institutions. This paper describes how EMI has developed in these countries and the achievements and challenges to date. Recommendations to address these challenges are also given.