FACTORS INFLUENCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ENGLISH AS A MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION (EMI) PRACTICE FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN KAZAKHSTAN

Abstract

Nowadays, the presence of high-quality universities, particularly those with international recognition, determines a country's level of national growth, development, and status. Kazakhstan, like other post-Soviet countries, attempted to adopt Western educational practices in its higher education system (HES). As a result, HES in Kazakhstan is increasingly adopting English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI). However, some challenges make it hard to make EMI work well in Kazakhstan's higher education institutions. Furthermore, little research has explored the factors that influence the effectiveness of EMI practice in Kazakhstan. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine how various school-level and university-level factors influence the effectiveness of EMI practice for undergraduate students. This non-experimental, cross-sectional, descriptive quantitative study analyzed the data collected from 80 undergraduate students and examined the relationship between variables using chi-square analysis. This study revealed that the types of schools, ownership of the schools, socioeconomic status of students, types of universities, and use of student support centers all influence the effective use of EMI practice. Student support centers and high socioeconomic status have a positive effect on EMI usage. Other variables provide additional indicators of the effectiveness of EMI's development and implementation in Kazakhstan. These indicators highlighted certain areas that needed attention. This quantitative study enriched previous studies by analyzing the factors affecting EMI practice and demonstrating a better understanding of the Kazakhstani context. In addition, this study provided relevant information for stakeholders in higher education institutions by examining the quality of implementation development.