Belonging and becoming in academia: a conceptual framework

The paper explores the internal and social journey of doctoral students as they transition from students to scholars. It highlights the 'liminality' of this process and the specific barriers faced by non-traditional students, such as mature professionals and international distance learners. The authors argue that academic identity is fluid and shaped by the intersection of personal identity, institutional hierarchies, and individual agency.

• The transition to becoming a scholar is characterized by 'liminality', a state of being 'betwixt and between' where students are no longer just students but not yet scholars. This period often involves intellectual confusion and a struggle to adapt previous study habits to the demands of doctoral research.
• Certain groups are more vulnerable to struggles with academic belonging, specifically non-traditional students returning after years of professional expertise who may feel their experience is treated as irrelevant, and students from different cultural or linguistic backgrounds adjusting to unspoken norms.
• Institutional hierarchies in universities prioritize academic publishing in high-ranking journals over teaching, which can marginalize students in professional doctorate programs (like the EdD) and those from strong practitioner backgrounds.
• The prestige of Anglophone universities creates a 'global currency' that attracts international students but also establishes an implicit hierarchy that privileges native English speakers over those using English as an additional language.
• Professional doctorates, such as the EdD, create a tension between the goal of deepening professional practice and the university's academic evaluation standards, often leaving students feeling they have 'one foot in the world of practice and another in the world of academe'.
• Supervisory support is a critical predictor of success, but its effectiveness depends on matching the supervisor's style with the student's specific needs, which is particularly complex for international students or those with significant professional expertise.
• Financial and social support are essential for retention; students without financial support show the highest withdrawal rates, while social connections and 'critical friends' help combat the isolation and negative emotions common in doctoral studies.

APA

Nygaard, L. P., & Savva, M. (n.d.). Belonging and becoming in academia: a conceptual framework. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/5ef17869-5fa0-4b17-b9ce-7bc6405d4c73/Belonging and becoming in academia a conceptual framework.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Nygaard, Lynn P., and Maria Savva. Belonging and becoming in academia: a conceptual framework. Peace Research Institute Oslo, n.d. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/5ef17869-5fa0-4b17-b9ce-7bc6405d4c73/Belonging and becoming in academia a conceptual framework.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Nygaard |first1=Lynn P. |last2=Savva |first2=Maria |title=Belonging and becoming in academia: a conceptual framework |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/5ef17869-5fa0-4b17-b9ce-7bc6405d4c73/Belonging and becoming in academia a conceptual framework.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{nygaardndbelonging, author = {Nygaard, Lynn P. and Savva, Maria}, title = {{Belonging and becoming in academia: a conceptual framework}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/5ef17869-5fa0-4b17-b9ce-7bc6405d4c73/Belonging and becoming in academia a conceptual framework.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }