The Implementation of English in Higher education in the context of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in an International Accounting Department

In response to the need to use English in the context of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), the Indonesian Ministry of Research and Technology and Higher Education has required that universities offer a bilingual curriculum in selected disciplines (Farmita, 2014) for the economic benefits for students and institutions (Shohamy, 2014). It is believed that English as a medium of instruction (EMI) would support internationalization of the higher education sector and would be advantages in competition within the region. Implementing a bilingual curriculum is especially complex in Indonesia, where a majority of the public speaks a local language as their first language and must master Indonesian to participate fully in the public realm. This study aims to evaluate an EMI program in an international Accounting Department. Document analysis and survey are conducted to reveal students' perspectives on the implementation of the program. This study finds that the program has been very supportive for students, regarding the bilingual activity and enough exposure to English. The limitation is in the support from the university regarding the facilities, improvement in teaching and learning methods. This studywill serve as the basis for more effective language teaching and program implementation in the context of AEC.