Navigating no-man's land: facilitating the transition of international scholars towards a PhD study (also, lockdown!)

For many scholars whose first language is not English and who come to the UK to study for a PhD, the transition to a new academic and social environment can be a difficult one. Successful PhD applicants to UK universities have often achieved considerable academic success in their own country and are considered to have great potential to excel in their field. Yet, differences between the academic cultures of the home and host countries mean that many of the skills they have previously acquired are not valued in their new context. These scholars also face challenges posed by sociocultural differences, as they seek to establish identities within an academic environment that values and expects certain behaviours which may be unfamiliar to them. Early weeks and months of PhD study, therefore, tend to require scholars to negotiate their way through a kind of academic 'no-man's land', as they transition towards what is regarded as academic excellence in their host institution. The paper presentation will explore findings arising from a critical-emancipatory perspective in regard to the ethics of transnational education, and the role of the English language in international education at doctoral level. We will present findings from a case study documenting one university’s attempts to apply research-based inclusive practices including the use of technology to enhance student engagement as well as discuss the impact of integrating English for Specific Academic Purposes into the Doctoral Induction Programme during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic hit the UK in the spring of 2020.