What is Systemic Development

This chapter suggests that successful and sustainable implementation of EMI in higher education can benefit from a systems approach. Drawing on general system theory, this approach enables a systemic development process for having academic programmes taught through English so that the roles of all key components of a university as an ecosystem are harmonized. The established and emergent components of the process are identified through a key development indicator matrix. The matrix enables holistic coordination so as to maximize the potential for long-term quality impact of teaching through English. The matrix is described here with respect to a 2015-2019 higher education languages strategy implemented at a major public university in Mexico, which has led to development and launch processes for English-medium education.