Education story · 2022–2026
A doctoral journey shaped by research, policy, and intercultural exchange.
At The British University in Dubai, Dr. Shan Jin developed a research agenda connecting Chinese language education, educational policy, curriculum, and intercultural competence in the UAE.
01 · The institution
The British University in Dubai
Established in 2003 as a not-for-profit, research-based university, BUiD is licensed by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research to award its own degrees. Its qualifications are also recognised internationally by UK ENIC, and the university holds global quality accreditation from the UK Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA).
BUiD’s UK Universities Alliance brings together the University of Edinburgh, the University of Glasgow, and the University of Manchester — all members of the Russell Group. Through a Concordat framework, the alliance contributes strategic and academic guidance, while BUiD’s internal quality-assurance processes benchmark its programmes and student achievement against the standards of these UK partners.
In the 2026 Times Higher Education Arab University Rankings, BUiD placed 10th in the Arab region and 4th in the UAE; Education ranked 2nd nationally.
02 · Doctoral milestone & coursework
The Faculty of Education’s first doctoral researcher from China to pass the viva.
After passing his doctoral viva in 2026 subject to minor corrections, Dr. Shan Jin was introduced in the Faculty of Education doctoral-graduates newsletter as its first graduate from China and its 202nd doctoral graduate.
View the viva announcement ↗
The formal degree certificate is expected by the end of October 2026. In the interim, this official BUiD letter confirms that the doctoral viva was passed subject to minor corrections.
03 · Research record
Scholarship developed alongside doctoral study.
During the programme, Dr. Shan Jin published and presented research on Chinese language education in the UAE, policy implementation, intercultural communicative competence, and responsible generative-AI use in multilingual research settings.
Research profiles
Selected research
04 · Knowledge exchange
Research shared across international, institutional, and national forums.
The 10th International Conference on Education 2024 (ICEDU 2024)
Dr. Shan Jin received the Best Poster Presentation award for “Intercultural Competence Assessment: Insights and Recommendations for Current Chinese Language Teaching in Public Schools of the UAE.”
Digital Education Research Seminar
At BUiD’s Centre for Research in Digital Education seminar, Dr. Shan Jin shared doctoral research within wider conversations on educational technology, policy, and practice.
UAE Graduate Students Research Conference (UAEGSRC26)
Dr. Shan Jin presented “Intercultural Communicative Competence of K–12 Chinese Language Teachers in the UAE: Evidence from a Convergent Mixed-Methods Study.” The University of Sharjah reported 607 accepted presentations following review by 360 experts.
05 · Publication
A chapter on Chinese language policy in the UAE.
Dr. Shan Jin contributed the chapter “Chinese language policy in the UAE: Present & Future” to Teaching and Learning in the UAE: Contemporary Issues and Trends. The chapter appears in the volume’s curriculum and instruction section and begins on page 158.
View the book ↗
06 · Peer review
Peer review contributing to the quality of an international edited volume.
In August 2026, Dr. Shan Jin received a formal letter of appreciation for serving as a reviewer for the forthcoming volume English Language Teaching and AI in Central Asia: Policies, Practices and Prospects, scheduled for publication by Emerald Publishing in March 2027.
View the book website ↗Research grounded in the UAE, connected to wider intercultural questions.
This doctoral period established the foundation for Dr. Shan Jin’s continuing work across education policy, Chinese language education, intercultural research, and China–UAE academic collaboration.