Language Support in English-Medium Programs: Lessons Learned from Saudi Vocational Education

English as a medium of instruction (EMI) represents an internationalization strategy that has been expanding throughout higher educational systems worldwide. While this approach is believed to bolster graduate employment, students with lower levels of English often struggle to learn content in English. This challenge is particularly relevant in the context of Saudi higher education, as the nation ranks low in English proficiency. To investigate this issue and provide recommendations for improving EMI programs, a mixed-methods study was conducted within Saudi vocational colleges. Questionnaires with Likert-scale and open-ended items were distributed to 50 teachers and 50 graduates. The findings confirm that students face language-related difficulties as they transitioned to EMI, and there are shortcomings in institutional language support mechanisms. The results also reveal that both teachers and graduates promote a clear focus on English language development in content courses, and they underscore the influence of classroom methodologies in improving proficiency. While these findings relate to the Saudi context, this study highlights the importance of integrating language-focused teaching practices in EMI classrooms in various contexts. In turn, the findings suggest that language support must be available for students who are not native English speakers at each stage of their academic journey.