Investigating students’ academic language-related challenges and their interplay with English proficiency and self-efficacy on EMI success in Transnational Education (TNE) programs in China

Abstract

This article reports a quantitative study that investigates students' academic language-related challenges in the context of English Medium Instruction (EMI) in Transnational Education (TNE) programs at a Chinese public university. The study examines the predictive impacts of students' reported linguistic challenges, general English proficiency, and self-efficacy on their EMI success. Descriptive statistical analyses of data collected from 316 Chinese undergraduate students in two TNE engineering programs (Chemical and Electrical) show that students experience considerable language-related difficulties across each academic English skill, with speaking and listening found to be the most challenging in their EMI classes. Further statistical analyses using Pearson's correlation and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) verify that both students' self-efficacy beliefs and general English proficiency can positively predict their academic success. Moreover, it was found that the students' reported language challenges indirectly predicted their EMI academic success through the direct effect on self-efficacy. These findings highlight two critical pedagogical implications for EMI in Chinese TNE settings: (1) continuous and collaborative ESP courses, with a particular focus on enhancing students' communicative competence, are highly necessary; and (2) the inclusion of local bilingual teaching assistants is recommended to support students' self-efficacy and enhance academic engagement by bridging linguistic gaps.