Cultivating Trust in Transnational EAP: The English Gym as a Safer, Shared Learning Ecology

In this joint presentation, we examine how The English Gym, an in‑sessional EAP initiative at Heriot‑Watt University, supports students navigating English‑Medium and transnational programmes through a pedagogy grounded in trust. Drawing on Archer‑Kuhn & MacKinnon’s (2020) framework of negotiated mutuality, community building, and learner mindset shifts, we show how trust-based practices can flourish even amid sector‑wide pressures and institutional uncertainties. Our session explores how accessible, low‑stakes language support creates “safer spaces” that help TNE students adapt to unfamiliar academic cultures, clarify expectations, and develop confidence in their academic voice. We highlight how relational, inquiry‑driven approaches reposition EAP tutors not merely as language specialists but as cultural mediators, co‑learners, and trusted interlocutors within increasingly complex global partnerships. We further reflect on the changing professional identities of EAP practitioners working across EMI and TNE contexts, where navigating politics, uneven power structures, and shifting institutional priorities requires emotional labour, pedagogical adaptability, and collaborative resilience. Through examples from the English Gym, we demonstrate how trust‑centred design enhances student belonging while also providing a sustainable model for staff development and cross‑institutional cooperation. This presentation offers practical insights for creating humane, trust‑driven support systems in transnational education.