2026 Language, Assessment & Disciplinary Specialism in UK-China Transnational Education

Dr Kallia Katsampoxaki-Hodgetts, University of Crete, Greece
Kallia Katsampoxaki-Hodgetts is a lecturer at the University of Crete, where she teaches multiliteracies, educational assessment in science teacher education, science communication and academic writing. She is also a postdoctoral researcher in multiliteracies and multimodality at the University of Ioannina, Greece. Her research focuses on Learning by Design, inclusive assessment, student voice, civic engagement and digital innovation in science communication. She has coordinated and contributed to faculty development initiatives on inclusive student-centred pedagogy, assessment literacy and reflective curriculum design in higher education. Her publications include papers and chapters on assessment, multiliteracies and inclusive curricula, with recent work examining how teachers and students use AI tools, multimodal artefacts and reflective practices to make learning, evaluative judgement and participation more visible. Her scholarship connects theory, process-based pedagogy and inclusive practice across educational contexts from preschool education to higher education.

Samantha Wilson, University of Leeds
Samantha Wilson is a Lecturer in English for Academic Purposes at the University of Leeds and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She leads a pre-sessional module for postgraduate business students and co-leads XJFY0100 English for Engineering, the Year 1 EAP module for the SWJTU-Leeds Joint School in Chengdu, China. Her work focuses on supporting students in transnational higher education contexts, with particular interests in student belonging, English-medium instruction, and technology-enhanced approaches to learning.

Dr Ben Chong, University of Leeds
Dr Ben Chong is an Associate Professor in the School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the University of Leeds whose work spans engineering education, reflective practice, experiential learning, and industrial engagement. He is particularly interested in how students learn to learn, exploring effective scaffolding strategies that support the development of independent, confident learners. As part of the University of Leeds Engineering Map project, he co-created a multimodal educational resource focused on the University's solar energy systems, contributing to narrative development, script writing, video production, and the design of learning activities. The project brings together authentic engineering contexts, technical language development, and reflective learning opportunities to help students build disciplinary literacy and deepen their understanding of engineering concepts. His work seeks to create accessible and engaging learning experiences that connect theory, professional practice, and student development.

Lucy Thacker, University of Leeds
Lucy Thacker is a Learning Technologist in the Digital Education Enhancement team within the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences. She works with academic colleagues to design and develop digital resources that enhance the student experience, with a particular focus on STEM assessment, digital accessibility, and multimedia learning.

Dr Costas Loizou, University of Leeds
Costas Loizou is a Lecturer in Mathematics at the University of Leeds, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and Director of Year 1 for the SWJTU-Leeds Joint School. He leads the Mathematics module and developed the Scientific Problem Solving module for Year 1 of the Joint School. His pedagogic research focuses on language-focused inclusive STEM education, particularly the integration of English language development within mathematics teaching. His work aims to empower transnational education (TNE) students to thrive in an English-medium instruction (EMI) curriculum by combining problem-solving, disciplinary language development, and a strong sense of belonging to Leeds.

Professor Bee Bond, University of Leeds
Bee Bond is Professor of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) at the University of Leeds. She previously led the university Language Centre's insessional team, working collaboratively to establish a much more embedded ESAP approach and is currently leading on the International Foundation Year EAP modules and curriculum redesign. Her scholarship centres on ways of ensuring language is considered in all aspects of a university curriculum – through both policy and practices and on EAP practitioner development. 

Wenfei Du, University College London, UK
Wenfei Du is a final-year PhD student at the UCL Institute of Education, University College London. His research focuses on university mathematics education,  with particular interests in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, Mathematical Digital Competency, and mathematical communication. His doctoral research investigates how undergraduate students communicate mathematically when using mathematics-specific digital tools in collaborative learning environments and develops frameworks and assessment tools to support teaching and learning in higher education. Alongside his research, Wenfei has teaching experience at UCL and Loughborough University and has contributed to national mathematics education research projects, namely Education Endowment Foundation evidence review. His work has been presented at international mathematics education conferences, including CERME14 and ICTMT17.

Dr Costas Loizou, University of Leeds
Costas Loizou is a Lecturer in Mathematics at the University of Leeds, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and Director of Year 1 for the SWJTU-Leeds Joint School. He leads the Mathematics module and developed the Scientific Problem Solving module for Year 1 of the Joint School. His pedagogic research focuses on language-focused inclusive STEM education, particularly the integration of English language development within mathematics teaching. His work aims to empower transnational education (TNE) students to thrive in an English-medium instruction (EMI) curriculum by combining problem-solving, disciplinary language development, and a strong sense of belonging to Leeds.

Dr Shuwei Chen, Southwest Jiaotong Unviersity
Shuwei Chen is an Associate Professor in Applied Mathematics at the School of Mathematics, Southwest Jiaotong University, China, and has taught at the SWJTU-Leeds Joint School since 2020. His research specialises in decision-making and logic-based reasoning, reflected in over 90 peer-reviewed publications, two national patents in China, and roles including Area Editor of the International Journal of Computational Intelligence Systems. Alongside his research, Shuwei brings an insider’s understanding of the linguistic and cultural transition facing Chinese students moving into English-medium instruction, informing The Academic Language of Mathematics’ design, examples, and relevance to this cohort.

Deak Kirkham, University of Leeds
Deak Kirkham is a Lecturer in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) at the University of Leeds, UK. After several years working on in-sessional and pre-sessional English for Business, Deak has been building in-sessional provision in the School of Mathematics at the University of Leeds across UG and PGT cohorts since 2020. His expertise lies primarily in the pedagogy and delivery of academic English for mathematics. In addition to these interests and background in academic English in a disciplinary context, Deak draws on his background in formal linguistics to deliver on a number of UG linguistics modules. 

Jiani Liu, University of Leeds
Jiani Liu is a Lecturer in English for Academic Purposes at the University of Leeds and a Senior Fellow of Advance HE (SFHEA). Her scholarship focuses on assessment literacy and student engagement through embedded academic literacy. She collaborates across disciplines and educational contexts, including transnational education, and has published on assessment literacy, postgraduate transition, creative pedagogy, and criticality. She is currently writing a book chapter examining the shifting roles of EAP practitioners in collaborative practice and is involved in another collaborative project exploring AI policy and assessment literacy in UK-China TNE. Her work has also informed the development of award-winning courses and learning resources used by diverse student communities internationally.

Dr Michelle Evans, University of Leeds
Michelle Evans is an Associate Professor of English for Academic Purposes and Deputy Director of the Language Centre at the University of Leeds. Michelle has been fortunate to work in TNE and EMI contexts in Vietnam and the UK.  She currently coordinates the insessional EAP provision across the University, which involves strategic facilitation of collaborations between EAP specialists and colleagues within the disciplines. Her recent scholarship includes disciplinary discourse analyses and exploring the role of social theory for EAP.