Learning in English: A research synthesis on European countries with advanced English skills

The purpose of this research synthesis was to map research on students' language skills and content learning in English as medium of instruction (EMI) contexts for countries with advanced English skills and wide use of EMI. Systematic searches resulted in a total of 38 relevant EMI studies conducted on the nine European countries meeting our selection criteria (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands). The studies identified various language- and comprehension-related challenges for students, but there was no clear (negative or positive) effect of EMI on students' content learning. Participant characteristics differed in how often they were reported on, and the influence of most characteristics was rarely considered in analyses. The studies showed a preference for the use of surveys, self-assessment, non-longitudinal designs, and descriptive statistics, and the majority did not include a comparison condition. To improve our knowledge of effects of EMI on student learning, future research would benefit from (a) considering and reporting participant characteristics carefully, (b) using more objective and specific measures of academic performance, and (c) analysing EMI students’ skills over time and in relation to a comparison condition.