Autumn 2023 PhD Seminar Debrief

Here we are again - a few weeks back at home after being away for another week-long seminar with the CHEI (Centre for Higher Education Internationalisation) community in late September. As is now my tradition after these things, I'm sat down here at my computer to try synthesizing my thoughts both for my own benefit and for anyone out there in the void interested about what it's like to do a Ph.D. in the field of Internationalization.

​Reflection #1 - New steps ever forward!

I've written a bit about the structure of the program in the past, but here's the broad overview. With CHEI, everyone starts off as a Newcomer, and you're not really expected to know or do much other than think deeply about what your research topic might be. Newcomers are the babies that aren't even really sure if they want to do a Ph.D. The next step is Prospective - this is when you need to start narrowing your focus (good luck!) and start reading and writing in earnest. This is the phase where you'll read more than you've ever read before and when you'll likely start feeling the ever-dreaded imposter syndrome tickling your brain. Following Prospective is Applicant. Applicants' main goal is to write a decently-significant research proposal and prep for the application process to Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, the university where CHEI is housed. I've been an Applicant for the past year along with three cohort-mates, and boy howdy has it been stressful! CHEI does a great job of lighting the path, but there's also the appropriate amount of self-reliance required. Firming up your topic and doing lots of reading (and probably some formal literature review) is important.

Prior to September's seminar, I submitted my full research proposal (which you can read on ResearchGate if you're so inclined) along with various other supplementary documents. Once that was approved, I had an oral interview with CHEI's Director and two faculty from Cattolica. Thankfully, it went well! As of writing this, I have my official acceptance to Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore as a Ph.D. candidate! Three years from now and I'll be done, Lord willing. I also have to say a HUGE congratulations to my cohort-mates who all are continuing on as well! Great job, friends :)

I do know unofficially who my supervisors will be for the duration, and to say that I'm both over-the-moon excited and positively intimidated would be understatements. Until it's 100% official though, I'm afraid that you'll have to wait. Stay tuned!
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​Reflection #2 - Another presentation, honing my research focus & approach

My research is still focused on COIL and the people who think about/plan/implement it. I've really leaned into exploring the values that drive the approach and the discourse around it, and I'm fairly certain that my research will culminate in proposing new ways of researching and facilitating COIL. We'll see - it might all be an embarrassing failure!

My approach is wrapped up in sociotechnical system theory, constructivism, decolonizing education, digital equity, and value-based paradigms. It's actually a ton of fun to dig through these things using COIL as my shovel, and if I uncover half of what I'm hoping, there will be quite a few interesting things to share.

Quite a lot of my presentation this seminar focused on constructing a survey that I hope will reveal interesting insights from the field - but mum's the word on that for the time being. No spoilers :) Suffice it to say that this was the first presentation in which I asked for specific feedback and got exactly what I needed. Great questions and valid concerns from the Academic Board, but I wrapped things up with a smile on my face.

For anyone interested in a sneak peek of my future research, I'll be at the NAFSA Region V Conference in Grand Rapids, MI later this month talking about COIL/VE and what I think the field needs to work on.

Reflection #3 - Sort of feeling good in an academic space...finally

If I'm honest, I really don't identify as an academic. I know that the whole Ph.D. journey thing seems contrary to that, but I've felt a fair amount of discomfort in the doctoral space up to this point. Not because I feel like I don't belong, but because I have some frankly well-founded ideas about what Ph.D.s in higher education are like.

CHEI is the perfect place to be an academic while not entirely feeling like one, because there are so many people in the room who are practitioners first. Many, if not most, of us came to the Ph.D. because we have questions that we don't want to wait for somebody else to answer. It's not about sitting in white towers in tweed jackets quoting Coleridge; it really is about being a part of a community with big ideas about where our field can go in 5, 10, 15, 20 years.

Anyway, I'll end this post here for now. I'll probably be posting here more regularly once I really get going after the new year. There are a few other things that I'm eager to share that just aren't quite ready yet. Stay tuned!