Language Policy and TNE’s: What role for what English

Transnational Education (TNE) can be seen as one part of ‘cross-border’, ‘offshore’ or ‘borderless’ education and is often associated with English speaking institutions and educational models based overseas. With many TNE institutions offering English medium instruction (EMI) programmes, there is a shift in focus away from English as a Foreign Language (EFL) to English being both an academic discipline and the mode of delivery. However, one question that remains unresolved is around the English language variety and standard that EMI TNE institutions should aim for as their ‘working language’ both for everyday use and as an academic lingua franca. The paradoxical situation often exists where students are not studying in their first language, and assessed by academics who are again mostly English additional language speakers, but with a target language based on English ‘native speaker’ norms.
China has been particularly active in developing initiatives. Taking one TNE institution as a working example, this chapter discusses some of the challenges of developing TNE in China, before going on to highlight the need for, and challenges of, creating and adopting workable language policies in a TNE environment. These challenges include the need to reflect the international nature of staff and students, to acknowledge the diverse range and variety of Englishes that the student and staff body brings to the TNE University, whilst recognizing the importance and status of the host country’s first language.