VietTESOL International Convention 2026

EMI (English as medium of instruction) has been implemented globally and regionally over the recent years (Dafouz & Smit, 2016; Macaro et al., 2018), including in Vietnam since the 1990s. Additionally, the theoretical frameworks of learner and teacher agency studies (Chen et al., 2020; Gao, 2019; Ngo, 2024) have contributed to the studies of EMI in higher education, particularly in relation to learner and teacher agency. Moreover, the theories of the six dimensions of ROAD-MAPPING and language policy and planning (LPP) have been integrated into stakeholders’ agency. The paper aims to examine the vital role of stakeholders’ agency in EMI implementation in higher education in one university of the Mekong Delta (MD), Vietnam. The study employed a qualitative research methodology, involving in-depth interviews with six lecturers, four students, and two market employers in MD, Vietnam. The research employed NVivo to code (sub)themes for content analysis. The findings of the study reveal four themes regarding the research gaps, research questions, and theoretical and conceptual frameworks: (1) decision-making; (2) language construction; (3) identity construction; and (4) contextual construction in EMI implementation in higher education. The discussion about their agency would also be clarified compared to the literature, particularly from 2020 to 2026, to compare the findings, analysis, and previous studies, negotiating with the Vietnamese MOET, policymakers, educators, and researchers, even in the regional areas like Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand, to get insights into the context. The limitations of the study would also contribute to further EMI studies with the agency.