Changing international student and business staff perceptions of in-sessional EAP: using the CEM model Diane Sloan a, * , Elizabeth Porter b,1 a Newcastle Business School, City Campus East, Northumbria University Newcastle upon Tyne. NE1 8ST, UK b English Language Centre, School of Arts and Social Sciences, Northumbria University, NE1 8ST, UK Abstract This article addresses the question of whether the existing approach to EAP delivery implemented at the University of Northumbria is supporting the learning needs of the international student body. In addressing this the article documents the background, research and preliminary findings relating to provision of an in-sessional English for Academic Purposes (EAP) programme to international students studying in a business context. The article focuses on the management of the delivery of the EAP programme and is based on the experiences of two ‘subject champions’ from the English Language Centre and the post- graduate (PG) area of Newcastle Business School at Northumbria University. It documents research which has begun with an analysis and critique of past practice. This has led to the recognition of key issues which can influence the attendance and participation of overseas students on an in-sessional EAP programme. The article identifies and discusses the role of the three key concepts of contextualisation, embedding and mapping of the programme, as the foundation for managing in-sessional EAP delivery. The resulting model, the CEM Model, is designed to facilitate improved management of the provision of the EAP pro- gramme in a postgraduate business context. The findings show that application of the model can demonstrate added value in the key areas of design and content of an in-sessional EAP programme impacting on student attendance, understanding and integration of the programme with PG degree programme learning objectives and outcomes. To address the issue of sustaining the practice and benefits of the CEM Model the work concludes with the articulation of a framework which establishes the integration of the EAP programme within academic programmes both at the strategic level through Teaching and Learning policies and operational processes. Ó 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: International students; EAP; Contextualisation; Embedding; Mapping; CEM model; Business education; Postgraduate; Northumbria University 1. Introduction As observed by Turner (2005) the internationalisation of Higher Education is now a key area within the academic sector. Newcastle Business School is one of 10 Schools within Northumbria University attracting more than 3000 international students into the institution. As Northumbria University ranks twelfth in the UK of largest recruiters * Corresponding author. Tel.: þ0191 243 7351. E-mail addresses: diane.sloan@northumbria.ac.uk (D. Sloan), elizabeth.porter@northumbria.ac.uk (E. Porter). 1 Tel.: þ0191 227 4960. 1475-1585/$ - see front matter Ó 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jeap.2010.03.001 Journal of English for Academic Purposes 9 (2010) 198e210 www.elsevier.com/locate/jeap