Short Biography

Lai Pik Chan is a PhD candidate in the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology of the University of Cologne. She completed her Bachelor degree in Comparative Literature in the University of Hong Kong, and her Masters degree in Professional Language and Intercultural Studies in the University of Leeds. Her current research interests include iinternational migration to China and globalization in contemporary Chinese society.

Her topic "Foreign Teachers in China: Opportunities and Challenges" focuses on foreign English teachers in Shenzhen, China. Geographically bordering Hong Kong, and being China’s first Special Economic Zone, Shenzhen aspires to become an 'international city' and places strong emphasis on the internationalisation of education. The research seeks to understand how China’ immigration policy, talent recruitment policy and education policy affect the employment of foreign teachers of different nationality, gender and ethnicity.

Thematic Interests and Regional Focus

Migration Studies, Globalization.

China.

Research Projects

Lai Pik is a member of the interdisciplinary research project 'Chinese immigration law and policy: perspectives of lawmakers, administrators and immigrants' which is a sub-project of 'Immigration and the Transformation of Chinese Society'.