Staff profile

Wen is a PhD student in the School of Education. Her research explores the test-taking experiences of standardised English tests for university admission from the perspectives of multiple actors, including test-takers, higher education, test providers, etc. Her research is funded by the Durham Doctoral Studentship (DDS). 

Prior to her PhD, Wen has completed a MA in TESOL at Durham University and a BA in finance and economics at University of Toronto (CA), both with distinctions. She also worked as an English teacher in Beijing, China and completed a consulting internship in Cape Town, South Africa. 

• Assessments and higher education
• English for Academic Purposes
• Standardised English tests
• Qualitative methodology
• Elite interviews

• 2025: Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy AFHEA:

Journal Article

• Reconsidering the shape of power: Challenges of interviewing elites in a later-learned language
  
  Xing, W. (2025). Reconsidering the shape of power: Challenges of interviewing elites in a later-learned language. Qualitative Research. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/14687941251390802