In today’s world, the ties of globalization increasingly connect people, and the communication networks between different countries and cultures that underpin these connections are largely reliant on English as a medium language. In the case of academic institutions, English has become a lingua franca of teaching and learning (Liddicoat, 2016); evaluations of research staff’s quality and reputations worldwide depend on their English publishing on international platforms, which is the so-called “publish or perish” academic survival system (Lee, 2014). In response to this demand, English for academic purposes (EAP) has gradually become an important subject for those working and studying in higher education institutions. Particularly in the recent two decades, “there has been a prolific increase in scholarly activity in the field of English for academic purposes” (Thompson & Diani, 2015, p. 1). In China, the first framework concerning the introduction of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) at Chinese tertiary institutes was published in 2013 by the Shanghai Education Bureau (Shanghai Education Bureau, 2013). Its advent marks several milestones; first, in relation to the revitalization of the previously unsatisfactory pedagogies practiced when delivering English for General Purposes (EGP) (Cai, 2012) at most universities; and second, as a pioneering program, implementing a large-scale hybrid EAP framework (integrating characteristics unique to the Chinese context) in China (Gao & Bartlett, 2014). Cai (2013, p. 11) claims the objective of the EAP course offered in Shanghai is, “the cultivation of professionals in various disciplines” through students learning English “to study their academic subjects.”

1.1 An EAP Reform Coming to China

Approximately 25 million students are enrolled at tertiary level (Bolton & Graddol, 2012) in China, and for the majority English is a compulsory course, meaning China has become a “major site of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)” (Borg & Liu, 2013). Following general improvements in the English proficiency of university students, more scholars have begun to discuss the best pedagogy to adopt when teaching English to university students (Cheng, 2016). Some of the most robust arguments espouse the benefits of EAP. EAP is a pedagogy targeted at college English teachers who are responsible for teaching students from non-English majors. Cheng (2016) introduces that ELT (English language teaching) in Chinese universities are two kinds: the one for only English majors and the other for the non-English majors, which has more students’ population. The teachers responsible for educating non-English majors, namely college English teachers (CETs), have been accused of being disengaged in academic research (Borg & Liu, 2013), and many suffer from a relatively low professional status not enough for teaching EAP, as Cheng (2016) quotes.

Indisputably, EAP is completely new in China, as English for General Purposes (EGP) has long dominated EFL teaching (Cargill, O’Connor & Li, 2012). Since the 1980s, English language teaching for non-English majors in higher educational settings in China has taken place within the scope of the EGP curriculum (Gao & Bartlett, 2014), which focuses on the holistic and humanistic education of students in English. The EGP curriculum typically neglects disciplines; instead, covering topics relating to “campus life, personal growth, politeness, appreciation of music, health and hygiene, friendship and human emotions, paths to success, and cultural values” (Cheng, 2016, p. 213).

To elaborate further, the most recent version of national EGP language policy was the College English Curriculum Requirements (CECR), published before the Shanghai EAP reform, which was stipulated by the Higher Education Department of China’s Ministry of Education in 2007. In the CECR, the policymakers defined the teaching goal of college English courses for the non-English-majors as

[T]o develop students’ ability to use English in a well-rounded way, especially in listening and speaking, so that in their future studies and careers as well as social interactions they will be able to communicate effectively, and at the same time enhance their ability to study independently and improve their general cultural awareness so as to meet the needs of China’s social development and international exchanges. (CECR, 2007, p. 18)

It required colleges and universities across the country to design tailored 16 credit-bearing CET courses, taking their students’ English proficiency into consideration, by matching the below ability requirements printed in CECR (taking intermediate level as an example, see Table 1.1). In most cases, the requirements depicted in the CET goals were generic language skills and daily communicative skills in English, with little emphasis on the learning genres of their disciplines and academic English.

Table 1.1 Intermediate level of CET requirements in CECR (adapted from college English curriculum requirements, 2007, pp. 19–20)
Full size table

Such was the prevalence of EGP, that until recently, EAP was not formally acknowledged in China (Cai, 2012). Except the direct transplantation of EAP courses from the UK to universities such as the University of Nottingham’s China Campus, in Ningbo near Shanghai, the first official mention of EAP was in 2012 in A Framework of Reference for EFL Teaching at Tertiary Level in Shanghai (Cai, 2012). The framework was designed to target students needing to use English to study their subjects at the undergraduate level; and the suggested framework was as follows:

  1. 1.

    “An elective, remedial English enhancement course (0–2 credit hours) for those who need to improve their comprehensive general English skills”;

  2. 2.

    “A series of required English for general academic purposes (EGAP) courses (8 credit hours in total) to enhance students’ EAP listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills”;

  3. 3.

    “A series of elected English for specific academic purposes (ESAP) courses (2–4 credits hours in total), such as business English and legal English, based on the students’ subject areas” (Cheng, 2016, p. 101).

This pedagogy proposed by Cai (2012), would thoroughly overhaul the original EGP-based CET. However, due to the potentially large scale of the change, it has been the subject of much debate amongst researchers (e.g. Wang, 2013). The general opinions shared on both sides are evaluated below.

Arguments against EAP reform in China begin with reference to the extensive variation in students’ English proficiency, arising from regional differences in pedagogy and resources, and rural–urban disparities. This discrepancy in levels means that once enrolled at university, some students need EGP to enhance their English (You & Dörnyei, 2014). For this reason, EAP might prove not so relevant to first- and second-year students, who may not yet have narrowed their studies to a particular discipline (Wang & Yao, 2013). Others argue that the focus on skills in most EAP programmes diverges too far from the CET’s goal of nurturing humanistic students (Wang, 2013). Furthermore, the professional standard of CET teachers might not be sufficient to meet the requirements of teaching EAP (Borg & Liu, 2013).

However, supportive voices of the urgent demand for EAP reform in China are also many. The deficiencies in the current ELT Chinese higher education curriculum have been a source of grievance. Cai (2012) attributes this to Chinese university students’ lack of direction, and low motivation to learn English in EGP, which could be addressed through the promotion of EAP in Chinese higher education contexts. Some attention has also been drawn to the unsatisfactory academic output of Chinese scholars and students (Hamp-Lyons, 2011), as many scholars imply that the lack of familiarity with academic English among Chinese intellectuals explains their limited success in terms of publishing in international academic journals (Zhong, 1998; Cargill et al., 2012).

Academic misconduct of a number of professors and students is further raised as a serious issue (Douglass, 2012). Hamp-Lyons (2011) observes that teaching good practice through EAP has the potential to improve scholars’ academic moral fibre. A new intake of students requires knowledge of EAP and other academic skills. According to statistics, an increasing number of Chinese students plan to undertake further study after completing their initial degree in China (01/02/2015 URL: http://www.eol.cn/html/lx/2014baogao/content.html). Hennebry, Lo and Macaro (2012) note that when Chinese students choose to study abroad, much like other international students studying in the UK, they consistently require additional EAP support despite having gained reasonable marks in their IELTS assessments.

Gao and Bartlett (2014) suggest that understanding of the content of EAP curricular remains unfamiliar, potentially leading to misunderstandings that adversely influence the attitudes of teachers and policy-makers. This has led to hesitancy from universities and other institutions in terms of adoption. EAP is referenced in new national guidelines for English teaching. The most up-to-date Guidelines on College English Teaching (GCET), were published by the Education Bureau of China in 2015, which highlights and recommends English for Specific Purposes (ESP). The Guidelines also suggest courses such as academic communication, academic writing, academic literature review, and academic translation should be taught.