Personal profile
Personal profile
Rining WEI (Tony), PhD, is a tenured Associate Professor in Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), China’s largest Sino-foreign institution. He has supervised over 50 master’s and PhD dissertations covering topics such as English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and individual differences in L2 learning. His areas of research include multilingualism, geronto-linguistics, and quantitative methodology. He has published in journals including Bilingualism: Language & Cognition, English Today, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, Journalism, Linguistics and Education, System, and World Englishes. He serves as Co-Editor-in-Chief for International Journal of EAP: Research and Practice (Liverpool University Press). He also serves on the Editorial Boards of Studies in Second Language Acquisition (SSCI-indexed, Cambridge University Press), Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (SSCI-indexed), PLOS One (SCI-indexed) and Journal of Asia TEFL (ESCI-indexed & Scopus-indexed).
To download Dr. Wei's papers (free of charge), please visit his webpages at Academia.edu or ResearchGate.
Research interests
Dr Wei is interested in working with professional colleagues and postgraduate students on topics in the following broad fields:
Bilingual Education Bilingualism (BEB)
English Education TESOL
English for Specific Purposes (ESP)
Quantitative methods in applied linguistics
Recent papers downloadable from: http://xjtlu.academia.edu/RiningTonyWEI or https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rining-Wei (please copy and paste this link onto your browser)
Experience
Associate Professor, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) - 2021 to (now)
Assistant Professor, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) - 2014 to 2021
Lecturer (part-time), Hang Seng University of Hong Kong - 2013 to 2014
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University - 2012 to 2014
Mathematics Teacher, Nanshan Foreign Language School, Shenzhen - 2001 to 2004
Teaching
Module Leader for Lng419 Multilingual education and multilingual literacies (for MA Applied Linguistics with specialisation in multilingualism)
Module Leader for Eng411 Dissertation (for MA TESOL)
2015: External examiner for the PhD dissertation ‘Teachers Mandarin Usage in EFL Classrooms in Two Universities in Southeast Mainland China’ (RMIT University, Australia).
Module Leader for Eng 115 English as a Global Language
Module Leader for Eng 216 Bilingualism
Lng419 Multilingual education and multilingual literacies
Eng411 Dissertation
Eng 406 Research Methods
Eng 318 Applied Linguistics
Eng 316 An Introduction to Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)
Eng 302 Interpersonal Communication in the Workplace
Eng 216 Bilingualism
Eng 202 Business Communication
Eng 115 English as a Global Language
Eng 103 Introduction to Linguistics
Lan 003 How Language Works
Awards and honours
2024: University-level Honoured Staff, XJTLU.
2022: Distinguished Contribution Award as Trainer in Higher Education, ILEAD, XJTLU.
2021: Extraordinary Contribution Award (特殊贡献奖) in Student Recruitment, Student Admissions and Career Development Office, XJTLU.
Honorary Lecturer, Department of English, University of Liverpool, 2014-now
Education/Academic qualification
• Ph.D. in Bilingual Education & Bilingualism (BEB), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• B.S. in Mathematics Education, Shenzhen University
Research areas
- bilingualism
- Geronto-linguistics
- English for Specific Purposes
Person Types
- Staff
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
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SDG 4 Quality Education
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SDG 5 Gender Equality
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SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
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SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Gerontolinguistics for Intelligent-Interaction Devices
Zhang, X. (PI), Wei, R. (Team member), 黄立鹤 (Team member), 陈欧 (Team member), 郭小燕 (Team member), 陈雷 (Team member), 朱金波 (Team member) & 冉沅忠 (Team member)
1/09/24 → 31/08/27
Project: Governmental Research Project
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PGRS - Unravelling the relationships between languages, literacies and content learning in an EMI university
Sun, Q. (PI), Wei, R. (CoPI) & Magliacane, A. (CoI)
Project: Internal Research Project
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An exploratory study of using an artificial intelligence speech evaluation system for English speaking practice
Zou, B. (PI), Wei, R. (Team member), Sun, Q. (Team member), Huang, L. (Team member), Zhao, K. (Team member), Yang, G. (Team member) & Zhang, J. (Team member)
1/09/22 → 31/08/25
Project: Internal Research Project
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Effect Size Reporting and Interpreting Practices in Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) Academic Journals: A survey of two discipline
Wei, R. (PI) & Kuang, X. (Team member)
1/09/20 → 29/02/24
Project: Internal Research Project
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Effect Size Reporting and Interpreting Practices in Academic Journals in Applied Linguistics
Wei, R. (PI)
1/03/17 → 31/12/17
Project: Internal Research Project
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Editor's Note
Wei, R., 2026, In: International Journal of English for Academic Purposes: Research and Practice.Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial
Open Access -
The Case of TESOL in Applied Linguistics
Liu, J. & Wei, R., 2026, In: Studies of Applied Linguistics in Asia. 1, 1, p. 4-17Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Instructors’ strategic use of L1 through a translanguaging perspective in a Chinese EMI university: Opportunities and challenges
Yi, Z. & Rining, W., 1 Jan 2025, English- Medium Instruction Pedagogy in Disciplinary Classrooms: Voices from the Ground. Taylor and Francis - Balkema, p. 86-106 21 p.Research output: Chapter in Book or Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
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Is foreign-language-based bilingualism linked to digital literacy among older adults?
Wei, R., Reynolds, B. L., Li, Y., Chen, H. & Wang, J., 2025, In: International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. 28, 10, p. 1169-1192 24 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access2 Citations (Scopus) -
Is language proficiency linked to intercultural communicative competence?
Wang, J., Wang, J. & Wei, R., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Language, Culture and Curriculum.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
7 Citations (Scopus)
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Tone Realisations in Connected Speech in L2 Mandarin: An Acoustic Analysis and Automated Rating Approach
Wei, R. (Supervisor), Yin, H. (Co-supervisor), Scott, P. (Co-supervisor) & Peng, L. (Co-supervisor)
2026 → 2029Activity: Supervision › PhD Supervision
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Exploring AI-based Speaking Practice in EAP Context. Speech at the Invited Symposium Exploring AI-Driven Innovations in EAP, The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 15-16 August, 2025
Zou, B. (Speaker) & Wei, R. (Speaker)
15 Aug 2025 → 16 Aug 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Generative AI-based Interactive Oral Training on Students’ English Speaking Skills: Perspectives on Learning Efficiency and Engagement
Zou, B. (Supervisor), Wei, R. (Co-supervisor) & Jones, C. (Co-supervisor)
2025 → 2028Activity: Supervision › PhD Supervision
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The 2nd XJTLU International Conference on Applied Linguistics in the AI Era
Wei, R. (Participant)
2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Organising an event e.g. a conference, workshop, …
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Studies in Second Language Acquisition (External organisation)
Wei, R. (Member)
2024Activity: Membership › Membership of board