ABSTRACT
Educational reforms and policies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have led to an increasing amount of English-medium instruction (EMI). English is omnipresent in public spaces due to globalization and transnational residents using English as a lingua franca. In higher education, while 'English-only' policies often apply to curricula, instruction, and assessment, translingual practice is a quotidian feature of linguistic ecologies. Stakeholder attitudes toward EMI are mixed. While English is valued for employment opportunities, there are concerns around the pedagogical and sociolinguistic implications of EMI in terms of language struggles, Arabic domain loss, and effects on identity and belonging. The chapter provides a comprehensive discussion of central debates on EMI in the UAE and suggests future directions.
