Surabaya, August 2026 – Politeknik Elektronika Negeri Surabaya (PENS) successfully hosted the English as the Medium of Instruction (EMI) Workshop, a comprehensive training initiative designed to elevate the teaching capabilities of its faculty members. Held on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at the Start-Up Innovation Room located on the 5th floor of the Pascasarjana Building, the full-day session ran from 08.00 to 15.30 WIB. The workshop was specifically tailored to support the ongoing development of the campus’s International Undergraduate Program (IUP).
The session commenced with an in-depth introduction to the IUP, outlining its strategic goals and the critical role that a globally standardized academic environment plays in shaping future engineers. Central to this vision is the implementation of EMI, which ensures that all academic discourse, materials, and evaluations are conducted entirely in English. The workshop emphasized that adopting EMI goes beyond direct translation; it requires adapting the entire pedagogical approach to meet international academic standards and foster a truly global classroom.
Led by English Instructor John Pierce, the core of the training focused on practical methodologies for teaching within the IUP framework. Faculty members were guided on how to effectively deliver complex engineering and technical concepts using English as the primary medium. The training provided actionable strategies to maintain student engagement, ensure absolute clarity in technical explanations, and build an interactive environment that encourages proactive academic communication among students.
Acknowledging the challenges that accompany linguistic transitions, a significant portion of the workshop was dedicated to addressing the difficulties of using English in a highly technical academic setting. The session explored common linguistic and comprehension barriers faced by both lecturers and students. To resolve this, the instructor offered concrete techniques to overcome these hurdles, highlighting methods to gradually build students’ confidence in their English proficiency. The goal is to ensure that language acts as a facilitator rather than a barrier to mastering their core engineering subjects.
By equipping its educators with advanced EMI strategies, PENS reinforces its commitment to the long-term success of the International Undergraduate Program. This workshop represents a proactive step in cultivating an educational ecosystem where students can thrive globally, ensuring that PENS graduates possess both the rigorous technical expertise and the international communication skills required in today’s competitive industry.