In an era of globalisation and ever-increasing student mobility, there are few people working in higher education today, whether as managers, academics or administrators, who are unaware of the increasing prominence of English language as a key – many would say contentious – issue in the sector. The number of English-medium universities, where all or part of the curriculum is delivered via the medium of English, is growing as institutions try to acquire a share of what is now the global enterprise of education. Significantly, these institutions are no longer confined primarily to those countries where English is used as the native tongue – what Kachru (1985) referred to as the ‘inner circle’ countries, in his frequently cited Concentric Circles model. Increasingly, universities worldwide are looking at the possibility of offering programmes or modules in English in an effort to attract international students, ensure their long-term viability and enhance their reputations as global institutions with an international outlook and the ability to produce graduates who are equipped to meet the expectations of employers in what is a changing, increasingly multicultural workplace, where communication skills are regarded as more important than ever.

Clearly, the efforts of these universities are being rewarded, as evidenced by the unprecedented level of student mobility and the accompanying growth in international student numbers being experienced across the sector. For many international students, the benefits of studying for a degree in countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia are considerable, and include the cachet that comes with acquiring a degree from a reputable overseas institution, along with the prospect of better employment conditions and opportunities in their countries of origin as a result of having developed a good level of English language competence during the course of their studies. However, while this influx of international students promises to benefit universities and the students they enrol, it comes with significant ramifications for all stakeholders – the university as an institution, academic staff, and the students themselves and their families – and it raises some complex but fundamental issues, many of which bear on a tension between business imperatives and the need to uphold educational standards.