McBee Spotlight: Haixia Xu, PhD 2009, Visiting Scholar

The McBee Institute of Higher Education is proud to spotlight Haixia Xu, PhD 2009. Dr. Xu is an IHE graduate and current visiting scholar from the Chinese Ministry of Education to conduct research studies for their Digital Learning unit. 

Xu began her journey with the McBee Institute in 2001 as a Ph.D. student from China. Having only applied to two universities, she wanted to attend the University of Georgia because it was described to her as a flagship university with a highly regarded doctoral program in higher education.  

When she arrived at Meigs Hall, she was assigned as Graduate Assistant to Dr. Libby V. Morris, who served as her advisor and collaborator. With grants Morris received from the University System of Georgia Advanced Learning Technologies to examine online learning in 2001-2006, Xu and Morris researched online course development, online teaching, and evaluation of online learning. As a part of this research, Xu and Morris visited many universities across the University System of Georgia and conducted in-depth interviews with faculty and students.  

“Haixia was a dedicated and insightful Ph.D. student, and I was honored to be her major professor. She worked diligently throughout her studies to understand US higher education, and she readily shared her deep knowledge of the Chinese system of education” said Dr. Morris. “She is an excellent collaborator and communicator, and she has built a large network of colleagues across UGA and beyond. She stays in touch, whether near or far. I have learned so much from her. I am fortunate.”  

During Xu’s time as a student, she was able to develop her research and writing skills, and present and chair sessions at national conferences from organizations such as the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE), American Educational Research Association (AERA), WebCT, EDUCAUSE, and others. At these conferences, Xu also got to know other Chinese scholars and exchanged research ideas with them, creating a foundation for lifelong friendships and collaboration.  

When Xu started at the McBee IHE, she was the only international student. “As an international student, I had a very unique experience with a tremendous support system of faculty, staff and fellow students. Dr. Morris played a pivotal role in helping me feel at home within the IHE family and introducing me to the wider University community. She was instrumental in guiding me through the research process step by step, significantly contributing to my professional growth and development. I am deeply grateful,” Xu said.  

In 2005, Xu was approached with an opportunity to apply for a position on campus while she was in the final stage of writing her dissertation. With encouragement from Morris, her major professor, Xu pursued full-time positions, first as Program Coordinator at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, focusing on international public service, and later as Director of China Initiatives in the Vice Provost Office for International Affairs, where she contributed to the development of China initiatives for the University. 

In 2009, Xu graduated from the McBee Institute with her Ph.D. and returned to Beijing, China to start a position in the National Center for Education Development Research (NCEDR), a research branch of the Chinese Ministry of Education. The NCEDR is charged with providing consultancy to the leadership of the ministry and its various departments on macro-level education policies in China.  

As a part of NCEDR team, Xu worked briefly in the lifelong learning division and then in the comparative education division for over a decade. Xu was a core member of a national project on establishing a learning society in China, and she played a significant role in launching the first batch of open universities in China in 2012. Besides researching international higher education, she contributed to international exchanges and collaboration in the field of education by serving as the NCEDR liaison to major international organizations such as UNESCO, OECD, European Union, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).   

On behalf of NCEDR, Xu constantly attended and presented at international events to provide policy updates on higher education in China and explore opportunities for research collaboration. She served as Co-coordinator of Research Network 4 of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Education and Research Hub for Lifelong Learning and conducted collaborative research with researchers representing nearly twenty Asian and European countries. In 2012, She was recognized as DAAD Scholar by German Academic Exchange Association and taught in University of Mainz, Germany.  

In the following year, she was awarded the Erasmus Mundus Research Scholarship, a program funded by the European Union, and served as Guest Professor in the master’s program of lifelong learning in Aarhus University, Denmark. During this time, Xu remained connected with the McBee Institute, serving as an itinerary coordinator for the week-long visit to China by students in the first four cohorts of the Institute’s Executive Doctorate (Ed.D.) program in higher education administration.  

In 2017, Xu returned to the McBee Insitute as a visiting scholar on a government grant. She completed an assigned study on the funding for humanities and social sciences in American higher education, continued working on a study on massive online open courses (MOOCs), and explored critical issues in higher education in both China and the United States.  

Now, Xu is a part of a new research unit within the Ministry of Education that focuses on Digital Learning – a growing area of interest in China’s educational landscape. Her current research project studies digital transformation in higher education, specifically how digital tools and technologies are implemented into all aspects of higher education. She has been a key contributor to the Blue Book on Smart Education series, an annual publication of China’s National Academy for Educational Sciences that offers a comprehensive analysis of the landscape and trends of smart education in China. 

In 2024, Xu received another government grant to continue her research studies here at the McBee Institute as a visiting scholar during the 2024-25 academic year. She will be conducting interviews with faculty members on UGA’s campus as well as at Georgia Tech to learn about the integration of digital technology in the classroom and its impact on users.  

“Haixia was always innovative in thinking about what is next in higher education, and the role she might play in educational change. It is no surprise that the Chinese Ministry of Education granted her a second sabbatical to continue her research. We are honored that she returned to the McBee Institute.” Morris reflected.  

Xu’s research conducted here will be beneficial to helping inform future policy and implementation of digital education technologies in China. Moreover, her visit provides an opportunity to share these findings and her broader perspective and experience in Chinese higher education with McBee Institute faculty, staff, and students. 

“I consider Meigs Hall and the McBee Institute to be my academic home, and it is a privilege to be here once again, conducting meaningful research for the Ministry,” Xu said.