English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI)

About English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI)

Adelaide University’s English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) Short Course is designed to support educators teaching, or planning to teach, their subjects in English.

This 40-hour practical short course introduces effective strategies for delivering academic content through English while supporting student understanding and engagement. Through interactive sessions, guided reflection, and teaching practice, participants build confidence in teaching in English and develop techniques that can be applied directly in their own classrooms.

Teaching through English in today’s universities looks very different to even a few years ago. EMI lecturers are now working in classrooms that are more linguistically diverse, more interaction-focused, and increasingly shaped by the use of AI tools by students and educators.

New sessions have been developed for 2026 in direct response to these changes and from feedback from our previous participants. These sessions aim to support EMI lecturers in making their teaching more effective for their students.

87%

of participants strongly agree they would recommend the short course to others.

Student testimonial

“This course really helped me a lot. I now see the problems in my teaching and the directions for improvement in the future. Thanks.”

Who is the short course for?

This short course is suitable for educators who teach, or plan to teach, academic content in English. This includes:

Tertiary lecturers teaching content subjects in English
School educators transitioning to EMI environments
Postgraduate Education students
Final-year Education undergraduates

There are no formal language entry requirements; however, an English proficiency equivalent to IELTS 5.5 or above is recommended to maximise learning outcomes.

Short Course Structure

Our public EMI short course is delivered face-to-face in Adelaide. We also offer tailored EMI courses that can be delivered face to face in country, online, or in a hybrid format, and can be specifically adapted to the needs of your institution – please contact us for more information on tailored programs.

The curriculum is structured around three integrated modules that combine teaching methodology, language development, and practical teaching application.

Module 1: Teaching Methodologies (26 hours)

This module introduces practical strategies to help educators move beyond lecture-based teaching towards a more student centred, active learning approach. Participants will observe demonstrations, analyse effective techniques, and practise through peer teaching to confidently apply these methods in their classrooms.

Module 2: Language Enhancement for the EMI Classroom (8 hours)

This module strengthens participants’ classroom language and communication skills to support clear instruction, effective classroom management, and engaging delivery. Educators will develop greater awareness of how to use language purposefully to meet student needs and enhance learning.

Module 3: Teaching Practice (6 hours)

In this module, participants prepare and deliver sample lessons to apply the strategies and techniques learned throughout the short course. By practicing in this way, and through the feedback garnered from peers and the class teacher, the methodologies introduced will be deepened and internalised.

The ‘EMI Resource Hub’

This unique software tool has been designed by the English Language Centre to support EMI educators in lesson planning. Users can select the amount of English taught content they wish to introduce into classes, and filter recommendations accordingly to their needs, based on broad discipline areas, preparation time available, mode of delivery and other parameters. Participants continue to have access to this tool upon completion of the short course.

Public EMI Short Course - Dates and Fees

Intake term	Orientation and start date	End date	Last date to enrol^
2026 ELC Term 3	Monday, 3 August	Friday, 14 August	Sunday, 14 June

Short Course + Village Accommodation = AUD$2150

Students have the opportunity to stay at Adelaide University’s Village accommodation, a modern and secure student residence conveniently located close to campus. For more information, please visit the University managed student accommodation page.

Short Course (No Accommodation) = AUD$1150

Students arriving on a Tourist or Working Holiday Visa are advised to arrange their own health insurance in their home country before departure. 

How to apply

To apply to our Public EMI Short Course, or for information on our bespoke EMI programs please email us at elc@adelaide.edu.au.