Staff Training

Intercultural Communication has been a natural phenomenon and the term EMI has been broadening through the years. English Language Medium Instruction, or its definition: "The use of the English language to teach academic subjects in countries or jurisdictions where the first language (L1) of the majority of the population is not English" (DEARDEN, 2014) does not embrace the multicultural universities contexts anymore. Daufouz & Smit (2016) proposed the term EMEMUS English-Medium Education in Multilingual University Settings,  as it accurately reflects the phenomenon under scrutiny. According to the authors, EMEMUS incorporates all other languages at play, such as the first languages of students and teachers, or the national, regional, or local varieties relevant to the higher education institutions in question. The Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR), or the so-called "Multiversity" has incorporated other languages and cultural aspects into its international programs. The Institution is the pioneer private university in offering classes taught in a Foreign Language in Brazil, it started in 2011 and since then has increased its number (FERNANDES, 2017). The Global Classes Program offers various classes taught in different languages to local and international students. The Program is already a case of success for different reasons, and one of them is the Faculty Development Course:  Teaching in a Second Language (Fernandes, 2021). From the participants' perspectives, the course has helped them to improve not only their second language teaching strategies but also their regular classes. After the course they feel more motivated and secure to teach through another language and their linguistic confidence has also increased. In this context, professors and students share knowledge through a Foreign Language as a means of communication. In this scenario content professors with language knowledge challenge themselves to integrate this new education system even without so much pedagogical awareness, facing methodological, linguistics, bureaucratic, and motivational difficulties (FERNANDES, 2021; FERNANDES, 2017; MARTINES & FERNANDES, 2020), through the course they have faced these challenges and feel more empowered and prepared to teach their classes. Little has been discussed about how universities conceptualize language in their documents and curriculum, consequently, professors and students face myths and beliefs that are not helpful to the learning and teaching practice inside the class. After the course, the faculty creates a sense of practice community, feeling more prepared to discuss language policies and pedagogical tools. As a result, PUCPR offered around 170 Global Classes in 2022, and the number and quality have been increasing through the years.

O trabalho objetiva promover um balanço do projeto de extensão "Semanas de Internacionalização da UFRJ", vigente de abril de 2022 a abril de 2023, abordando-se aspectos como resultados e público alcançados, dificuldades vivenciadas, propósito do projeto, dentre outros. Ademais, tenciona-se alinhar os auspícios do projeto em questão com as diretrizes da atual política de relações internacionais da UFRJ, focalizando-se aspectos relacionados à inclusão via perseguição de modelos  de internacionalização alternativos à mobilidade stricto sensu ("internacionalização em casa"). Por ser um projeto de extensão vinculado, na Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, diretamente à Superintendência Geral de Relações Internacionais (SGRI), escritório central de relações internacionais da universidade, o projeto reveste-se de singular caráter, tendo sido o primeiro projeto dessa natureza sob coordenação direta da SGRI. Para além disso, o projeto notabiliza-se pelos esforços coadunados de ampliar os acessos dos benefícios da internacionalização, mormente o desenvolvimento de competências linguísticas e interculturais, a um público mais amplo, em consonância com os movimentos mais recentes de democratização do acesso e usufruto do ensino superior por camadas menos favorecidas, e de uma estratégia consagrada no Plano de Desenvolvimento Institucional então vigente de fomentar a internacionalização da extensão. Desse modo, sendo teoricamente orientado por uma literatura que advoga por uma internacionalização mais inclusiva, e consubstanciado em dados empíricos que possibilitam a visualização dos resultados alcançados, espera-se que o trabalho estimule uma reflexão mais acurada sobre as possibilidades de intersecção entre internacionalização e extensão para potencialização dos efeitos da primeira sobre as comunidades internas e externas à universidade.

The Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM) has launched a series of language initiatives aimed at enhancing English proficiency among its faculty and staff, with the goal of strengthening the institution's internationalization efforts. These initiatives, led by the International Affairs Office in collaboration with the Provost Office for Personnel Management and the Department of Foreign Languages, include targeted programs such as English for University Service, English for Strategic Leadership, and English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) Consulting.


The "English for University Service" program focuses on communication fluency to better assist international professors and students. It specifically targets staff members who interact with incoming international faculty, aiming to enhance the quality of services provided. The "English for Strategic Leadership" program focuses on developing conversational competence and preparing university leaders for public speaking agendas, ensuring effective governance and participation in global academic discussions. "EMI Consulting" is a pilot project designed to support professors in delivering courses in English. The program features group consulting sessions that provide practical tips, syllabus design, and presentation techniques for educators.
Overall, UFSM's language initiatives foster improved communication, teaching practices, and leadership, while contributing to the university's commitment to internationalization at home and inclusion within the global academic community.
 Keywords: English proficiency; Higher Education Management; Internationalization; English as a medium of instruction; internationalization at home.

In contemporary times, it is estimated that with the resources, talents and imagination, new borderless and global university spaces will be the future hubs for the dynamic and international development of knowledge (Bassett, 2021). To be among international universities, it is necessary to engage faculty and staff and this may be done with training activities. Considering this context, we intend to socialize an experience of training teachers and administrative  technical  workers   of  a  Higher   Education  institution  for the knowledge of internationalization policies and practices. The focus of the course was to familiarize the participants with the theoretical and practical conceptions surrounding the themes   of   comprehensive internationalization (Hudzik, 2011; 2015), internationalization    at   home (Beelen; Jones, 2015) and internationalization of the curriculum (Leask, 2015),   including    administrative   and linguistic  issues,  as   well  as  analysis   and  ideation  of   internationalization practices.  The five topics explored during the 5-week experience were: (1) Exploring the history and concepts of the internationalization of Higher Education; (2) Learning about internationalization plans and other guiding documents; (3) Reflecting on the relationship between internationalization and language issues; (4) Analyzing practical proposals for internationalization across borders and at home; and (5) Building possible paths for the internationalization of the Federal University of Uberlândia. We advocate courses of this nature are indispensable for Higher Education institutions in Brazil to mobilize  allies   in  their  own   institutions  to  foster   comprehensive internationalization   practices which will benefit local expectations. We especially learned that, as Hunter (2018) points out, training programs for internationalization still do not refer more forcefully   to   the    importance   of   support    functions   to   the    internationalization   process and this should be changed based on the positive outcome of the participation of staff members in our course.