The objective of this study is to discuss the adoption of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) in the Brazilian and Flemish contexts, considering the influence of globalization and internationalization on the languages in higher education. To reach this goal, a bibliographic research was carried out, in order to analyze documents related to language teaching/learning, including books, journals, government documents, official websites and reports from international organizations. Data from these sources were categorized according to the country of origin and EMI approaches. Recurring themes were identified using different genres of documents, in order to establish connections between official documents (such as legal ones) and practices described in research published in journal articles and book chapters, looking for connections between theory and practice. Information collected comprised the data retrieved in Brazil and in Flanders, used to generate discussions around challenges and opportunities for adopting EMI in these contexts. The study concludes that actions such as the creation of local support units (for languages) at universities are necessary to overcome the challenges identified in the preparation and implementation of EMI courses in those contexts.