Yunci Cai

Dr. Yunci Cai is an Associate Professor and Director of Education at the University of Leicester’s School of Museum Studies. She joined the institution in 2018 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2023. Her research focuses on cultural politics, museology, and Indigenous heritage in Asia, with particular attention to Malaysia and China. She holds a PhD and MA from University College London and a BSS from the National University of Singapore.

Affiliations:
- School of Museum Studies, University of Leicester (2018–Present)
- Centre for Chinese Visual Arts, Birmingham City Institute (2023–Present)
- Editorial roles at Museum and Society, Museums and Social Issues, and others

Research Interests:
Explores heritage instrumentalisation, Indigenous self-representation, and the intersection of museums with development, diplomacy, and geopolitics. Her work critiques Eurocentric frameworks, advocating for decolonial and community-led approaches to heritage preservation.

Publications:
- Staging Indigenous Heritage: Instrumentalisation, Brokerage and Representation in Malaysia (2020)
- Editor of The Museum in Asia (2025)
- Over 20 journal articles and book chapters on museums, heritage politics, and Indigenous rights.

Grants & Awards:
While no specific awards are listed, her editorial leadership and international collaborations reflect scholarly recognition.

Labs/Teams:
Leads research projects on Indigenous cultural documentation (e.g., Lotud creation poetry) and heritage diplomacy under China’s Belt and Road Initiative.