As internationalization has become part of the raison d'être of universities worldwide, English-medium instruction (EMI) has emerged as an irresistible force in the higher education systems of many non-English speaking countries. In a manifestation of its commitment to internationalization, Japan has seen a dramatic increase in the number of EMI programs now in place at universities throughout the country. This paper looks closely at EMI in Japan's system of higher education through an examination of the existing literature and an assessment of government policies and university practices designed to internationalize the system. The diff erent rationales motivating the various stakeholders (nation, university, and individual) are identifi ed, and the internal and external factors that have led to the introduction of EMI into Japanese universities are discussed. Insofar as EMI is more than a mere linguistic change, it will have a huge impact both on education and research. This paper then raises signifi cant ideological and practical issues associated with English in education as a tool of "academic imperialism" in the unique Japanese context. It also addresses the diff erent practices and adaptations of EMI at Japan's "elite" and "mass" universities. Finally, the double meanings of "internationalization" through EMI programs is conceptualized with using the terms of "internationalization abroad" and "internationalization at home" through examining the framework of nationalistic and cosmopolitan dimensions. For the further study and implications for university practices, the author asserts the importance of developing language education policy not to serve English imperialism but to facilitate focused research by students with a critical perspective.
Although there is a pressing demand for international experience for early career researchers (ECRs), the meaning of this experiences arising from their day-to-day work responsibilities is still unclear. Accordingly, using our emic reflections for this autoethnographic study, we-five Japanese ECRs with years of international experiences-collaboratively explored how we made sense of our international experiences, that is, our distinct capital attained from international study and research experiences. We used Identity Trajectory as a conceptual tool to widely capture ECRs' key experiences and sense-making. Our reflective conversations resulted in five major themes: (1) global personal network, (2) communicative competence, (3) scholarly community culture, (4) scholarly ambition and (5) pedagogical application. We consistently valued our attained capital, but simultaneously recognised dilemmas while engaging in our work. Lack of institutional support was critical, preventing us from using our international experiential capital and further developing as internationally active researchers.This study offers insights for those who may consider an academic career in Japan after returning from international sojourns and for policymakers promoting the internationalisation of Japanese higher education. Studies such as this one also contribute to the exploration of the value of international experiences for researchers in different contexts.
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