We have staff from varied backgrounds who all bring their own experience and strengths to the team.
Dr Ying ZHENG, Director
Dr Ying Zheng is the UK Director of the Confucius Institute. She is also an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Humanities. Before joining the University of Southampton in 2013, Ying worked as a Psychometrician and Director of Research (2009-2013) in the Language Testing Division of Pearson, London, a world leading multinational education company. She obtained her MEd (2005) and PhD (2009) in Cognitive Studies from Queen's University, Canada, specializing in Second Language Testing and Assessment. View Ying’s university webpage.
Email: ying.zheng@soton.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 23 8059 7650
Dr Jiangzhi ZHANG , Chinese Director
Dr Jiangzhi Zhang is the Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute and also an Associate Professor in Linguistics at Xiamen university, China. His research centres around the study of copulas and nominal predicates. He has served as a Chinese volunteer teacher for Cairo University, Egypt (2008-2009). He obtained his PhD (2013) in Chinese grammar from Graduate school of Chinese Academe of Social Sciences, MA (2010) in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language from Peking University, and BA(2006) in Chinese Language and Literature from Sichuan Normal University.
Email: J.zhang@soton.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 23 8059 9311
Ms Ying FU, CI Core Teacher
Ying Fu is the Core Teacher of the Confucius Institute and also a Senior Teaching Fellow in Modern Languages at the University of Southampton. She has worked in the UK higher education sector for 18 years before joining the UoS in 2016. The universities and institutions she has worked for include Imperial College London (2014-2016), King’s College London (2007-2013), Foreign and Commonwealth Office (2003-2007), University of Cambridge (2000-2003) and University of Westminster (2013-2014, 1998-2000). Ying obtained her MA in Bilingual Translation at the University of Westminster in 1998 and PG Diploma in TESL at the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand in 1990. Her specialities and research interests are in the area of teaching Chinese as a foreign language and translation.
Email: Y.Fu@soton.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 23 8059 2221
Ms Yutian Hu
Yutian Hu obtained her Master's Degree in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language from Xiamen University in 2020. Before she joined CI at University of Southampton as a qualified Mandarin teacher in September 2023, she worked as a volunteer Chinese teacher in CI at Victoria University of Wellington in 2019, as a Chinese teacher in Zhuhai Xiangzhou zhenxian primary school from 2020-2023. Her main responsibilities are to deliver Chinese teaching in Bohunt School and support workshops in CI at University of Southampton.
Mr Tao PENG
Tao PENG obtained his Master's Degree in Literature majoring in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language from Shandong University . Before he joined CI at University of Southampton as a qualified Mandarin teacher in 2023, he worked as a University lecturer in Xiamen University, China from 2013, as a CI Chinese teacher at University of Wroclaw, Poland for 2022.10-2023.4, as a CI Chinese teacher at University of Trier, Germany for two years (2018-2020), as a CI Chinese teacher at University of PUCP, Peru for two years (2015-2017) and as a CI Chinese volunteer teacher at Dongseo University, South Korea for two years (2011-2013).
His main responsibilities are to deliver Chinese teaching in CI at University of Southampton, Hope Community School, Mansbridge Primary School and Barton Peveril College and administrative work in CI at University of Southampton.
Ms Yutong Yin , CI Chinese Volunteer Teacher
Yutong Yin now is studying for a master’s degree in Teaching Chinese as a foreign language at Xiamen University, China. She is now a CI Volunteer teacher in Confucius Institute of Southampton University. Her main responsibilities are to support Mandarin teaching assistant and CLIL lessons teaching in Bohunt School Liphook, deal with the cultural teaching and support workshops in CI at University of Southampton.
Ms Jiani Li , CI Chinese Volunteer Teacher
Jiani Li now is studying for a master’s degree in TCSOL at Xiamen University, China. She is now a CI Volunteer teacher in Confucius Institute of Southampton University. Her main responsibilities are to support Chinese teaching in Bohunt School Worthing, deal with the cultural teaching and support workshops in CI at University of Southampton.
Ms Xiaoyi Lin, CI Chinese Volunteer Teacher
Xiaoyi Lin is studying for a master’s degree in Teaching Chinese as a foreign language at Xiamen University, China. She is a CI Volunteer teacher in the Confucius Institute of Southampton University. Her main responsibilities are to support the Mandarin teaching assistant and GCSE lessons teaching in Bohunt School Horsham, deal with the cultural teaching and support workshops in CI at University of Southampton.