Linguistic requirements for students and staff on EMI undergraduate degrees at universities in the Community of Madrid

Abstract

Este artículo examina las nuevas demandas lingüíticas que han surgido a raíz de la implantación en el sistema universitario de España del English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) y de los grados y dobles grados de carácter bilingüe. Nos centramos en particular en el caso de la Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid, que cuenta actualmente con 14 universidades tradicionales (6 públicas y 8 privadas) y analizamos los requisitos de los futuros estudiantes y del profesorado en cuanto a certificación y pruebas de acceso para ser admitido o poder impartir docencia en dichos programas. Analizamos también la lógica que sustenta estos requisitos, tratando de identificar las pautas de los distintos tipos de universidades, las posibles implicaciones futuras para la contratación y formación de profesorado y el impacto sobre los estudiantes.

The present article examines the new linguistic demands that have arisen with the growing implantation in the Spanish university system of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) and bilingual undergraduate single and double degrees. Specifically, we will look at the case of the Community of Madrid which currently has 14 traditional on-site universities (six of which are public, and eight private) and analyse the requirements made of the prospective students and teaching staff on these degree programmes in terms of language certification and entrance tests that must be passed in order to be accepted on the degree programmes or hired to teach on them. We will also seek to examine the rationales behind these requirements, attempting to identify varying patterns between different types of university, the implications for the future recruitment and training of teaching staff, as well as the impact of these developments on students.