International Students’ Navigating Challenges in a Vietnamese English-Medium Instruction Program: Self-Determination and Resilience Perspectives
Abstract
This study explores the academic, linguistic, cultural, and social challenges faced by international medical students enrolled in an English-Medium Instruction (EMI) program in Vietnam, as well as the strategies they employed to adapt and succeed. Fourteen students participated in semi-structured interviews, providing qualitative insights into their lived experiences. Findings revealed that participants encountered considerable academic difficulties, including the complexity of medical terminology, fast-paced lecture delivery and teaching methods that were unfamiliar compared to their home countries’ education systems. Language barriers not only hindered academic comprehension but also affected classroom participation and social integration. Cultural challenges, such as adjusting to indirect communication styles and hierarchical classroom dynamics, further complicated their adaptation process. Nevertheless, students demonstrated resilience through coping mechanisms such as self-directed learning, peer collaboration, time management and engagement with institutional resources. Notably, they reported significant personal growth, including increased independence and intercultural competence. However, the study also identified gaps in institutional support, particularly in terms of faculty members’ limited intercultural teaching skills and responsiveness to international students’ needs. Recommendations included the development of tailored language support programs, culturally responsive pedagogy, peer mentorship initiatives and accessible mental health services. By focusing on the Vietnamese context, this research contributes to the understanding of EMI experiences in the Global South and offers practical implications for enhancing international medical education in non-western settings.
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.4.21
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Zumor, A., & Qasem, A. (2019). Challenges of using EMI in teaching and learning of university scientific disciplines: Student voice. International Journal of Language Education, 3(1), 74–90. https://doi.org/10.26858/ijole.v1i1.7510
TW on continuing the implementation of Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW].
https://tulieuvankien.dangcongsan.vn/he-thong-van-ban/van-ban-cua-dang/ket-luan-so-91-kltw-ngay-1282024-cua-bo-chinh-tri-ve-tiep-tuc-thuc-hien-nghi-quyet-so-29-nqtw-ngay-04112013-cua-ban-chap-10637
Dearden, J. (2014). English as a medium of instruction: A growing global phenomenon. In British Council.
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/publications/case-studies-insights-and-research/english-medium-instruction-growing-global
Doiz, A., & Lasagabaster, D. (2020). Dealing with language issues in English-medium instruction at university: A comprehensive approach. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 23(3), 257–262.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2020.1727409
Dung, N. K. (2024). Challenges and opportunities in implementing English as a medium of instruction in Vietnamese universities. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 14(11), 92–98.
https://doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.14.11.2024.p15514
Evans, S., & Morrison, B. (2011). Meeting the challenges of English-medium higher education: The first-year experience in Hong Kong. English for Specific Purposes, 30(3), 198–208.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2011.01.001
Galloway, N., & Rose, H. (2015). Introducing Global Englishes. Routledge.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315734347
Hoang, L., Tran, L. T., & Pham, H.-H. (2018). Vietnamese government policies and practices in internationalisation of higher education. In Internationalisation in Vietnamese Higher Education. Higher Education Dynamics (pp. 19–42). Springer.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78492-2_2
Hofhuis, J., van Egmond, M. C., Lutz, F. E., von Reventlow, K., & Rohmann, A. (2023). The effect of social network sites on international students’ acculturation, adaptation, and wellbeing. Frontiers in Communication, 8, 1186527. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2023.1186527
Hull, M. (2016). Medical language proficiency: A discussion of interprofessional language competencies and potential for patient risk. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 54, 158–172.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2015.02.015
Huynh, V. U. T., Ma, Y., Thieu, T. H. O., & Trinh, Q. L. (2024). Practice of Vietnamese tertiary learners’ intercultural competence: An influential factor affecting entrepreneurial capabilities. Heliyon, 10(4), e26240.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26240
Kim, E. G. (2017). English medium instruction in Korean higher education: Challenges and future directions. In English Medium Instruction in Higher Education in Asia-Pacific (pp. 53–69). Springer.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51976-0_4
Kutsyuruba, B., & Godden, L. (2019). The role of mentoring and coaching as a means of supporting the well-being of educators and students. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, 8(4), 229–234.
https://doi.org/10.1108/ijmce-12-2019-081
Lasagabaster, D., & Fernández-Costales, A. (2024). EMI language teacher education. In Handbook of Language Teacher Education (pp. 1–16). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-43208-8_21-1
Le, N. T., & Nguyen, D. T. (2023). Student satisfaction with EMI courses: The role of motivation and engagement. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 15(3), 762–775.
https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-02-2022-0050
Ly, T. M. T., & Nguyen, H. B. (2024). The Influence of the PERMA Model on EMP Students’ English Speaking Performance. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 23(9), 1-22.
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.23.9.1
Macaro, E., Curle, S., Pun, J., An, J., & Dearden, J. (2018). A systematic review of English medium instruction in higher education. Language Teaching, 51(1), 36–76. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444817000350
Makeeva, E., Kulinich, M., & Yakovleva, I. (2021). Adaptation of international students: Challenges and solutions. Journal of Intercultural Communication, 21(3), 41–54. https://doi.org/10.36923/jicc.v21i3.20
Marginson, S. (2014). Student self-formation in international education. Journal of Studies in International Education, 18(1), 6–22.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315313513036
Masten, A. S. (2014). Global perspectives on resilience in children and youth. Child Development, 85(1), 6–20.
https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12205
Molino, A., Dimova, S., Kling, J., & Larsen, S. (2022). The evolution of EMI research in European higher education. Routledge.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003150923
Nguyen, H. T., Hamid, M. O., & Moni, K. (2016). English-medium instruction and self-governance in higher education: the journey of a Vietnamese university through the institutional autonomy regime. Higher Education, 72(5), 669–683. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-015-9970-y
Nguyen, H. T., Trinh, L. Q., & Vo, T. D. (2025). Examining international student satisfaction: Insights from a medical English-medium instruction program in Vietnam. Educational Process International Journal, 14(1).
https://doi.org/10.22521/edupij.2025.14.48
Nguyen, H. T., Walkinshaw, I., & Pham, H. H. (2017). EMI Programs in a Vietnamese university: Language, pedagogy and policy issues. In English Medium Instruction in Higher Education in Asia-Pacific (pp. 37–52). Springer.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51976-0_3
Phuong, Y. H., & Nguyen, T. T. (2019). Students’ perceptions towards the benefits and drawbacks of EMI classes. English Language Teaching, 12(5), 88. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v12n5p88
Quoc Lap, T., Thi Ha, N., Cong Tuan, L., & Huynh Hong Nga, N. (2024). EFL teachers’ perceptions and practices of reflective teaching as a means for professional development. Arab World English Journal, 15(4), 400–417.
https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol15no4.25
Rose, H., & McKinley, J. (2018). Japan’s English-medium instruction initiatives and the globalization of higher education. Higher Education, 75(1), 111–129. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-017-0125-1
Ryan, R. M., & Vansteenkiste, M. (2023). Self-determination theory. In The Oxford Handbook of Self-Determination Theory (pp. 3–30). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197600047.013.2
Sawir, E., Marginson, S., Deumert, A., Nyland, C., & Ramia, G. (2008). Loneliness and International Students: An Australian Study. Journal of Studies in International Education, 12(2), 148–180.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315307299699
Smith, R. A., & Khawaja, N. G. (2011). A review of the acculturation experiences of international students. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 35(6), 699–713.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2011.08.004
Thinh, M. P. (2025). Adapting teaching practices and enhancing intercultural competence: student teachers’ experiences in an international exchange program. Journal for Multicultural Education, 19(1), 43–57.
https://doi.org/10.1108/JME-06-2024-0077
Tran, L. T., & Nguyen, H. T. (2018). Internationalisation of higher education in Vietnam through English medium Instruction (EMI): Practices, tensions and implications for local language policies. In I. Liyanage (Ed.), Multilingual Education Yearbook (pp. 91–106). Springer.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77655-2_6
Tran, L. T., & Pham, L. (2016). International students in transnational mobility: Intercultural connectedness with domestic and international peers, institutions and the wider community. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 46(4), 560–581.
https://doi.org/10.1080/03057925.2015.1057479
Tuan, L. C. (2025). A positive psychology perspective on foreign language anxiety and enjoyment of Vietnamese university students. Pakistan Journal of Life and Social Sciences (PJLSS), 23(1).
https://doi.org/10.57239/PJLSS-2025-23.1.00249
Ushioda, E. (2016). Language learning motivation through a small lens: A research agenda. Language Teaching, 49(4), 564–577.
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0261444816000173
Wilkinson, R. (2012). English-Medium Instruction at a Dutch University: Challenges and Pitfalls. In A. Doiz, D. Lasagabaster, & J. M. Sierra (Eds.), English-Medium Instruction at Universities (pp. 3–24). Multilingual Matters.
https://doi.org/10.21832/9781847698162-005
Yao, C. W., Collins, C., Bush, T., Briscoe, K. L., & Dang, N. L. T. (2022). English as a ‘double barrier’: English medium instruction and student learning at Vietnamese transnational universities. Higher Education Research & Development, 41(4), 1372–1386.
https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2021.1896485
Young, T. J., Sercombe, P. G., Sachdev, I., Naeb, R., & Schartner, A. (2013). Success factors for international postgraduate students’ adjustment: Exploring the roles of intercultural competence, language proficiency, social contact and social support. European Journal of Higher Education, 3(2), 151–171.
https://doi.org/10.1080/21568235.2012.743746
Zhou, Y., Jindal-Snape, D., Topping, K., & Todman, J. (2008). Theoretical models of culture shock and adaptation in international students in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 33(1), 63–75.
https://doi.org/10.1080/03075070701794833
Zumor, A., & Qasem, A. (2019). Challenges of using EMI in teaching and learning of university scientific disciplines: Student voice. International Journal of Language Education, 3(1), 74–90.
https://doi.org/10.26858/ijole.v1i1.7510
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