A Study of the Adjustment Process of International PhD Candidates

Abstract

During the adjustment process of a doctor of philosophy (PhD) education, it is understood that international PhD candidates are facing more obstacles than host nationalities, due to arriving to a new culture and without having a relational base in the appurtenant country. The research question to be addressed in this study is: How do international PhD candidates experience the adjustment process in their new research environment during the first semester? Also I will bring in the perspectives of what they expected before arrival.

I have proposed a new model; "The Adjustment Process Relation Model", that includes important factors to consider during the adjustment process. The model is based on my own experiences when working at NTNU, Q2S1 and supported by the literature. Analysis on four international PhD candidates is used to show the applicability of the model. The model can be used to raise the awareness of interaction when working among international employees.