Ambrose from Hong Kong, Jianne from the Philippines, Khin from Myanmar, and Yusuke from Japan played an active role as panelists at the 56th National Conference of the Japanese Association for Asian Englishes (JAFAE), held on January 24 and 25 at Hiroshima University. They participated in a symposium jointly organized by two research groups – the English-medium instruction (EMI) and English as a lingua franca (ELF), where they shared their experiences in the EMI academic environment (i.e., IGS).

In the symposium, the four student panelists shared their personal narratives reflecting on the role of English within the IGS, the diversity of Englishes, and how their perceptions of English have evolved through their experiences in EMI courses. After entering the IGS, they became aware that English is not a single, uniform entity, but exists in diverse forms shaped by different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. International participants reflected on realizing that their own English represents a unique variety rooted in their home context. The student panelists also discussed the challenges and uncertainties they experienced regarding their identities as English users.

The students’ presentations were very well received by the audience, and the session prompted lively discussion and positive feedback. The symposium was highly successful and demonstrated the meaningful contributions that IGS students can make to academic discussions on EMI, ELF, and Asian Englishes.