Hongfen has taught Chinese and worked in the field of language education in for many years. She earned her PhD in Education, with her research focusing on areas such as the culture of learning (particularly among East Asian students), script language teaching and learning, intercultural communicative competence, and Internationalisation at Home.

Academic Roles and Memberships

Hongfen is a Senior Fellow of the High Education Academy. She is a member of the AULC and the BCLTS.

Research projects

• 2023 – 2024 Increasing a Sense of Belonging for BME Students via the Tandem Project, King’s REIEF fund
• 2018-2020 Linking Chinese Community in London and Chinese Language Courses, KCL & NTU Partnerships Fund
• 2017-2019 Interculturality in Chinese Language Teaching, KCL & HKU Partnerships Fund
• 2013-2014 Crossing boundary: blogging during a year abroad; Universities China, Committee in London Fund