Yuwei Xu

Dr. Yuwei Xu serves as Associate Professor in Early Childhood Education at the University of Nottingham since 2023, holding concurrent Visiting Professorships at Zhejiang Normal University and Central China Normal University. She founded the Global Childhoods Research Group (GCRG), co-directs Nottingham's Taught Courses (2025-2027), and leads community engagement for the UNESCO Chair in International Education and Development. Previously, she held academic positions at UCL, University of Portsmouth, and Tianjin Normal University.

Her educational background includes:

• PhD in Gender and Early Childhood Studies, University of Glasgow (2018)
• MA in Child Studies, King's College London (2012)
• B.Ed. in Early Childhood Education, Shanxi University, China (2011)

Dr. Xu's research centers on gender dynamics in early childhood education, cross-cultural comparisons between China and the UK, and inclusive practices for marginalized communities. She investigates children's perspectives on gender, culturally responsive curriculum implementation, and teacher education frameworks that challenge heteronormative discourses. Her work bridges theoretical feminist analysis with practical interventions to promote equity in educational settings globally.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals consistent focus on pandemic-era parenting adaptations, cultural negotiations in curriculum frameworks, and gender representation in early years settings. Her cross-cultural methodology (particularly China-UK comparisons) produces actionable insights for culturally reflective practice, while her work on low-income family engagement addresses structural barriers in educational research.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• BERA Early Career Researcher Award (2019)
• Two Nottingham Recognition Scheme awards (2021/22, 2022/23)
• Lord Dearing Award for Decolonizing Curriculum (2022/23)

Dr. Xu currently supervises eleven PhD students across gender studies, teacher education, and higher education topics while leading multiple funded projects including the Froebelian philosophy initiative (£43,243) and Hong Kong immigrant family study (£11,927). Her grants portfolio demonstrates strong international collaboration, particularly UK-China partnerships addressing teacher development and children's rights.

She founded the Global Childhoods Research Group (GCRG) and actively contributes to the Education and Development Forum (UKFIET) and Gender and Education Association, fostering international networks that advance childhood studies through decolonial and intersectional lenses.