Dr. Li Wei

Professor

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Biography

Professor Li Wei is the Director and Dean of the UCL Institute of Education. With a focus on Applied Linguistics, he leads the Centre for Applied Linguistics and supervises a master's program and PhD candidates in the field of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). His research specialization centers on bilingualism and multilingualism, exploring how children acquire multiple languages simultaneously and the cognitive and socio-cultural impacts of such learning on families and communities. He collaborates on various projects, including a Leverhulme-funded initiative with Great Ormond Street Hospital Institute of Child Health, investigating the impacts of early language exposure on brain structures and cognitive benefits associated with childhood bilingualism. Furthermore, he actively participates in launching international symposia on bilingualism and has contributed to numerous journals and book series in Applied Linguistics. He joined UCL in January 2015, prior to which he held prominent academic positions at Birkbeck College and Newcastle University.

Research Interests

Experience

Director and Dean

2015-01-01 — Present

UCL Institute of Education • London, UK

Leading the Institute and overseeing academic programs and research initiatives in applied linguistics.

Pro-Vice-Master

2010-01-01 — 2014-12-31

Birkbeck College, University of London • London, UK

Oversaw academic operations and faculty management.

Head of School of Education

2007-01-01 — 2009-12-31

Newcastle University • Newcastle, UK

Managed the School of Education with a focus on educational research and teacher training.