She completed her PhD degree in policy studies, social sciences, and education from The University of Hong Kong. Her research contributes to the cross-fertilization of Western and Chinese perspectives in understanding and explaining important interdisciplinary issues of higher education, citizenship education, international academic mobility and educational policymaking. She is the author of University Autonomy, the State, and Social Changes in China. She is the holder of very competitive, distinguished award, Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship Award (2013/14), from the Hong Kong Research Grants Council.