‘Successful organisations are biased towards action and they avoid stultification by developing and changing rather than remaining routinised and standardised’ (White, 1988: 138). English for Academic Purposes (EAP) programmes are no different from other organisations. Although some EAP programmes change little over time, seemingly content with the comfort and security of the status quo, many EAP programmes view change as a natural and integral part of programme life. In such programmes, curriculum renewal represents one effective way of responding to the evolving needs of students and faculty, to the shifting circumstances of the educational programmes themselves, and to new insights from the professional literature. Curriculum renewal that is grounded in sound decision making and a thoughtful consideration of the factors impacted by reform can ensure programme integrity, viability, responsiveness and competitiveness.

The challenges of curriculum renewal are complex. Because curriculum reform is best advanced through the collaborative efforts of faculty, students and administrators, the process of reform requires a working environment characterised by participatory decision making, opportunities for experimentation and open lines of communication (see Christison and Stoller, 1997). Curriculum reform also necessitates a responsiveness to internal and external changes (e.g. changes in student enrolment patterns, faculty hiring practices, institutional mandates), making timely access to information critical. Adding to the complexity of the process is the critical need to understand the linguistic, academic and acculturation needs of EAP students in general terms and, whenever possible, in terms more specific to the educational settings and academic disciplines to which the EAP students will be transitioning.