Ten ‘Good Practice Principles’ … ten key questions: considerations in addressing the English language needs of higher education students

Abstract

In response to social, political and educational imperatives, Australian universities are currently reviewing the way in which they provide for the growing number of students for whom English is not a first language. A document recently published by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations has increased the sense of urgency surrounding this activity, for it looks set to form the basis of future audits conducted by the Australian Universities Quality Agency. This paper considers how, in attempting to respond to the document and more effectively meet the needs of this student cohort, universities will need to reflect on a number of fundamental questions. In light of the increasingly global nature of education and the resulting multicultural and multilingual student populations that have become commonplace in higher education, these questions are likely to have resonance not only in Australia, but elsewhere, where English-medium universities face similar issues.