1. Rationale
Pursuant to the "EMI Teaching and Learning Center Project" under the Ministry of Education's BEST program.
2.Purpose
Led by the National Chung Hsing University EMI Teaching and Learning Center (hereafter "NCHU EMI TLC"), this implementation plan aims to foster bilingual professional development among faculty in higher education institutions. It encourages the formation of Faculty Development Communities to develop course modules, conduct peer observation and feedback, and constitute a framework for quality assurance systems. By promoting collaboration and active participation in these tasks, the plan seeks to enhance faculty members’ bilingual teaching expertise and elevate the overall quality of EMI courses.
3.Program Components
(1) This implementation plan is structured around three types of faculty development communities, each designed to address different teaching development needs:
【Category A】Bilingual Course Module Development Community
Led by discipline-specific faculty, the community analyzes and evaluates existing curricula to identify the foundational skills and core competencies students need to transition from foundational to advanced disciplinary courses.
Working with language teaching experts, it then designs an English for Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP) curriculum and develops modular courses that integrate both language and content. These modules serve as a practical solution for bridging students into EMI courses.
【Category B】Peer Observation Community
Each member must conduct at least one 50-minute public live observation or teaching demonstration. The same member is also required to observe another member's EMI class, completing pre-observation tasks, filling out observation forms, and participating in post-observation meetings. This feedback process strengthens teaching collaboration and helps refine instruction.
【Category C】EMI Course Quality Assurance Community
Each community jointly selects one EMI course offered by a member for quality assurance review. Members will then analyze the challenges and instructional needs of this course by reviewing its learning objectives, core competencies, teaching methods, and assessment approaches based on a sample rubric provided by NCHU EMI TLC. This process facilitates the development of a course-specific rubric and the implementation of relevant quality assurance measures throughout the semester, thereby ensuring the instruction's quality and effectiveness.
(2) Eligibility and Application
A. Eligibility: For faculty members from colleges and universities across the nation, each community is generally limited to 3-5 members.
B. Application: Faculty may apply for more than one category but limited to one application per category.
【Category A】Bilingual Course Module Development Community
Faculty from a specific discipline collaborate with language teaching experts; members may be from the same or multiple universities.
【Category B】Peer Observation Community &
【Category C】EMI Course Quality Assurance Community
Faculty from two or more universities; no restrictions on academic discipline.
C. Community Convener: One faculty member per community responsible for administrative communication, coordination, and final report.
(3) Application Procedures: Submit completed forms through the online platform. Incomplete or incorrectly formatted applications are not accepted.
(4) Implementation Period: Announced on the NCHU EMI TLC website each semester.
(5) Community Tasks
【Category A】Bilingual Course Module Development Community
•Curriculum Mapping: Define curriculum maps linking foundational courses to advanced EMI courses, with details specified in the application.
•ESAP Curriculum Development: Collaboratively design ESAP courses including learning objectives, syllabus overview, teaching modules, assessments, and glossary table.
•Module Creation: Develop one complete course module. Following review and approval, NCHU EMI TLC will disseminate it as a shared teaching resource.
【Category B】Peer Observation Community
•Pre-Observation Meeting: Instructors must prepare a “Lesson Plan Design Form” (Appendix 2) for peer review, incorporate feedback, and provide an overview of class context.
•Observation/Demonstration:
Public Observation: Observers attend an actual class, complete an “Observation Form” (Appendix 3), and the class must provide at least four photos and at least a 10-minute video, compiled in an “Meeting Minutes & Attendance Sheet” (Appendix 4).
Teaching Demonstration: Instructors conduct a minimum 15-minute demonstration; observers complete forms; at least four photos and a 15-minute video must be provided and compiled in the “Meeting Minutes & Attendance Sheet” (Appendix 4)..
•Post-Observation Meeting: Communities must hold a debriefing session and submit the completed “Meeting Minutes & Attendance Sheet” (Appendix 4). with at least four photos.
【Category C】EMI Course Quality Assurance Community
•Course Selection: Jointly select one EMI course for analysis of objectives, competencies, pedagogy, and assessment.
•Rubric Development:
a. NCHU EMI TLC provides a sample rubric for EMI quality assurance. The community members should revise it into an individualized rubric that fits the attributes and needs of the course.
b. All assessment dimensions and indicators in the template must be retained and cannot be removed; only qualitative descriptors may be revised or new indicators added.
c. One to two enrolled students may be invited to participate in rubric development to ensure learner perspectives and practical applicability.
•Rubric Review: Submit the individualized rubric by the deadline for external expert review.
•Implementation: Incorporate expert feedback, apply the rubric, and evaluate through surveys, observations, assignments, and assessments. Submit a final QA report at the end of the semester.
(6)Others:
Community members may be invited by the NCHU EMI TLC to participate in inter-university exchange events. The members are also encouraged to attend various workshops and training sessions to enhance the effectiveness of the professional community and to strengthen the momentum of EMI teaching.
4.Budget and Incentives
(1)Applications will be reviewed by NCHU EMI TLC, considering both proposal quality and prior performance. Subsidies are limited to the annual budget.
(2)Funding Principles:
A. Operational Expenses: Up to NT$30,000 per community, covering consulting, review, transportation, and student assistant wages. Final amounts are subject to the NCHU EMI TLC approval.
B. Faculty Incentives: Up to NT$24,000 per project, awarded based on performance and distributed equally among members.
(3)Reimbursement: All expenses must comply with Ministry of Education's Guidelines for Project Grants and Commissions. Procedures are outlined in Appendix 5. Unused funds by the deadline will be reclaimed.
5.Project Management and Closure
(1)The Community Convener must submit a Final Report (Appendices 6–8) within two weeks of program completion.
(2)All members must complete the online feedback form within two weeks of program completion.
(3)Reports and research outputs will be published on NCHU EMI TLC’s website for non-profit educational use.
(4)Timely submission of reports and feedback will affect the final incentive allocation and serve as reference for future funding applications.
