International PhD Candidates in Norway: Experiences of Isolation and Institutional Recommendations toward Belonging in the Academic Community

This paper presents a qualitative case study based on interviews with eight international PhD candidates about their experiences pursuing a doctorate at a Norwegian higher education institution. The participants reflect significant diversity, representing seven countries across four continents. The concept of belonging is employed as a framework to discuss the findings. Overall, the study finds that participants experience isolation and exclusion in the workplace. Two interrelated challenges stand out across the data set: language barriers and difficulties in forming meaningful collegial relationships. These challenges carry emotional and psychological impacts, including feelings of loneliness, depression, and thoughts of abandoning the doctoral program. The study offers recommendations for institutional measures aimed at enhancing belonging for international PhD candidates within the academic community.