From Qingdao to Leeds: exploring human-centred AI for learner support
Rui Zhang, lecturer at Qingdao Open University, China, provides an insight into her upcoming visit to the School of Education.
I am Rui Zhang, a lecturer at Qingdao Open University, China, and have been selected as a visiting scholar under the Sino-British Fellowship Project in 2026.
Qingdao Open University is a provincial branch of the Open University of China, operating under the supervision of the Qingdao Municipal Government. It is dedicated to promoting lifelong learning and providing flexible open education opportunities for adult learners.
My professional role is situated within the Academic Affairs Office, where I am responsible for graduate qualification review, degree certification management, and student administrative coordination. Alongside these administrative responsibilities, I also teach Public English, manage course delivery, and contribute to the development of teaching resources. This dual engagement in administration and teaching has enabled me to develop a comprehensive understanding of learner support mechanisms in open and distance education systems.
My research interest lies in strengthening non-academic support services in open education through artificial intelligence and data analytics. Non-academic support refers to essential administrative and operational services such as registration, examination arrangements, progress tracking, and graduation management. Although not directly linked to disciplinary instruction, these services play a decisive role in student retention, motivation, and academic success. In my professional practice, I have observed recurring challenges, including fragmented information systems, inefficient communication channels, and limited personalisation of learner support. These issues often create barriers for adult learners balancing study, work, and life responsibilities.
My current research project proposes the development of an AI-driven non-academic support model for open education. The model integrates intelligent inquiry systems, real-time learner progress tracking, and automated workflow optimisation for administrative services. The aim is to enhance institutional efficiency while simultaneously improving learner experience through timely, accurate, and personalised support. This project is grounded in both institutional practice and emerging developments in educational artificial intelligence and learning analytics.
The Imaginative Curriculum Centre (ICC) at the University of Leeds provides a highly relevant intellectual and methodological context for this research. The Centre’s focus on imaginative pedagogy, learner-centred curriculum design, and ethically informed digital innovation aligns closely with my own research orientation toward human-centred AI in education. In particular, its understanding of curriculum as a dynamic, co-constructed, and experimental process offers important theoretical insights into how digital systems can be meaningfully integrated into educational environments rather than functioning as standalone technological solutions.
I have chosen the University of Leeds and the ICC for my visiting research because of their strong international reputation in open and distance education research and their leadership in curriculum innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration. The Centre’s emphasis on co-design, experimentation, and practice-based inquiry provides an ideal environment for exploring how learner support systems can be reconfigured through collaborative innovation.
Overall, this visiting experience will allow me to situate my research within an international comparative framework and strengthen its theoretical and practical foundations. By engaging with the Imaginative Curriculum Centre, I aim to further develop an AI-enabled support model for non-academic support in open education, contributing to improved learner experience, institutional efficiency, and sustainable innovation.
Find out more about the Imaginative Curriculum research Centre (ICC) here.
