Our Team

Director

Dr Xuelin Zhou

Dr Xuelin Zhou is Associate Professor in Media and Screen at the University of Auckland. His research interests cover popular culture in East Asia and Chinese-language film. He has published extensively in these fields. His works include Young Rebels in Contemporary Chinese Cinema (Hong Kong University Press, 2007), Youth Culture in Chinese Language Film (Routledge, 2016) and Globalization and Contemporary Chinese Cinema: Zhang Yimou’s Genre Films (Palgrave, 2017). He is currently working on a book-length study on popular genre films in Taiwan between 1960s and 1980s.

Xuelin took over the CI directorship in March 2022.

Deputy Director

Qi Zhang (Raquel)

Manager

Kerryn Levy

Kerryn Levy was appointed Manager of the Confucius Institute in Auckland in September 2024. She brings over a decade of experience at the University of Auckland, where she has held a range of administrative and operational roles across three faculties. This breadth of experience has equipped her with a strong understanding of university systems, stakeholder engagement, and programme delivery.
Kerryn holds a Master of Management from the University of Auckland.

Project Coordinator

Dr Xiaolu Wang (Rebecca)

Dr Xiaolu Wang joined Confucius Institute in Auckland just before finishing her doctoral studies at the University of Auckland in 2023. Her research interest covers gender and media, and the practice of women’s cinema. Xiaolu has years of hands-on experience in language teaching in both mainland China and New Zealand. She is currently taking the lead in managing some school projects as well as the CTCSOL exam.

Office Coordinator

Nina Zhang

Nina Zhang first joined the Confucius Institute in April 2016 and is our full-time office coordinator. She graduated from Auckland University of Technology after studying Accounting and International Trade.

Chinese Teacher

Yu Wang

Yu is an experienced teacher of Chinese from Fudan University (Shanghai) and is currently based at the Confucius Institute in Auckland. He has worked in other Confucius Institutes, including Baku State University in Azerbaijan and the University of Saint Thomas in Chile. He is a passionate and dedicated teacher with five years of full-time international Chinese teaching experience.

Administration Assistant

Lisa Shi

Lisa Shi has been a part time Administration Assistant with the Confucius Institute in Auckland since 2006. Alongside her admin role, Lisa has also been a teacher of Chinese and a tutor in Asian Studies.

Exam Coordinator

Meiju Wang

Meiju Wang has over 20 year experience in teaching Chinese as a second language. She has taught Chinese at the University of Auckland, Unitec and AIS in New Zealand. She holds a TCFL Certificate issued by The Office of Chinese Language Council International. She is a member of the Auckland Chinese Language Association.

Meiju Wang is Coordinator of the HSK/YCT Chinese language proficiency tests. She joined the Confucius Institute in 2006 and has over 20 years’ experience in teaching Chinese as a second language.

International Partnerships Coordinator (Otago)

Chriss Hamilton

Chriss Hamilton is the International Partnerships Coordinator based at the University of Otago to support and facilitate local Chinese programmes.