EMI (English Medium Instruction) implies using the English language to teach academic MA and PhD in science, math, medicine, engineering, IT etc. in countries where English is not the official language and in which the students’ first language is not English.

The project aims at

• developing transparent, national and international, educational standards and comparable learning tools and teaching standards in accordance with Bologna criteria;
• enhancing the quality of academic content and staff and students  through development of a sustainable curricula for teacher training;
• provide support the internationalization of participating EU and Armenian and Russian institutions and support staff and student mobilities and exchanges

The specific objective of SMARTI is to promote Partner Countries excellence in education by the development and the implementation of a comprehensive pedagogical Modules English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) curricula for in-service Armenian and Russian teaching staff and trainee teachers using an ECTS/Tuning Modular design for teaching academic content in English in Russia and Armenia, which will be developed via a network of EMI Centres.

• Evaluate Armenian & Russian practices in teaching academic content in English (EMI teaching) and EMI competence enhancement
• Study best European practices in teaching academic content in English (EMI teaching) and EMI staff competence enhancement
• Create model and professional competences descriptor of university teacher of academic content in English.
• Conduct efficient Start Off meeting to ensure full implementation of project goals, create management teams and Quality Control Plan.
• Develop and set-up the network of EMI Training Centres including development of documentation, intake and training of staff for the Centres.
• Train Partner countries universities staff in European best practices in both ESP (English Language Audit, ongoing support for weaker participants and soft skills for stronger ones plus ECTS training to bring participants up to CEFR B2 level) and in EMI best practice teaching.
• Partner countries institution will develop and pilot (2 times) 9 EMI Staff pedagogical training Modules for staff and students in Armenia and Russia using ECTS/Tuning Modular framework.

• The target groups in this project include: University staff using EMI in Master / PhD Programmes and students, who will attend these programmes.

At national level the project will leave behind a comprehensive framework for the training of staff in Partner countries which can be replicated across multiple universities and institutions.