English in higher education in the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan

In Central Asia, English is not only considered a language of
intercultural communication, but it is also by far the most
studied foreign language at schools and universities. The
globalization and internationalization of education resulted
in English becoming a medium of instruction in all levels of
schooling. English functions as the language of research and
academia. This article focuses on comparative research conducted on the role(s) of English in higher education institutions (HEIs) in three Central Asian republics – the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The main objective of this study was to explore the role(s) of English at HEIs to have a better evidence-based understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of English medium instruction (EMI) in these countries.