SONG Yanjie (PhD) is a Full Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Information Technology, Associate Director of Academy for Applied Policy Studies and Education Futures (AAPSEF), Associate Director of Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CLET), and Assistant Dean of Graduate School at the Education University of Hong Kong. She obtained her PhD in educational technology at the University of Hong Kong and her MEd. in IT, Multimedia and Education at the University of Leeds, the UK. She was trained and obtained TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) Certificate at the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, the UK. Before joining the institute, she worked as a Senior Research Assistant at the University of Hong Kong, a Research Fellow (later a Research Scientist position offer) in the Learning Sciences Lab, at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Yanjie was among the top 2% in the Stanford list of the world’s most-cited scientists in education.

Research interests

• design and development of applications with metaverse, generative AI, AR, and VR technologies;
• innovative pedagogy design with emerging technologies;
• multimodal learning analytics
• technology-enhanced language learning
• design-based research.

RGC-funded General Research Fund (GRF/ECS) 

• PI, “Examining Social, Cognitive and Teaching Presences and Learning Outcomes in the Metaverse via an Intelligent Multimodal Learning Analytics Approach”, Research Grant Council (RGC) General Research Fund (GRF), (HK$757,100) (2024-2026, Ref. 18609224) (International collaboration）
• PI, “A Self-regulated Vocabulary Learning Approach Supported by a Mobile-user-generated-content Tool for Pupils in Hong Kong”, GRF (HK$522,720) (Jan. 2020- Mar. 22; Ref. 18611019) (international collaboration)
• PI, “m-Orchestrate: Developing a mobile learning system for teacher orchestration in collaborative science inquiry”, GRF (HK$619,176) (Jan. 2018- Dec. 2020; Ref. 18610817) (international collaboration)
• Co-I, School learning support and teacher digital competence from a needs satisfaction perspective (HK$324,000.00) (2023-2024; Ref: 14610522)
• Collaborator, "The Design and Practice of Synchronous Online Mathematics Instruction: A Visual Learning Analytics-supported Design-based Study", Early Career Scheme (ECS) (HK$705,600.00) (2023-2025; Ref: 28604623)

UGC Fund for Innovative Technology in Education (FITE) 

• PI, “Developing a Metaverse Platform with Virtual Reality – “LearningverseVR” for Learning and Teaching”, UGC’s Fund for Innovative Technology-in-Education (FITE) (HK$800,000) (2023-2025, Ref. 05404). (collaboration with Hong Kong Polytechnic University)
• Collaborator, “A Large and Flexible Immersive Learning System for Language, Health, Chinese History, and Cultural Tourism”, FITE (HK$500,000) (2023-2026, Ref. 05408). (collaboration with Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

UGC Teaching Development Grant (TDG)

• PI, TDLEG project "Enhancing university graduates’ employability leveraged by 'iChat-Job' - an AI-powered digital human system" (4 universities joint project) Total: HK$1,650,000 (1/9/2025-31/12/2027)
• One of Co-PIs: TDG project “Developing and Evaluating a Learning Analytics Platform to Support University Teachers for Pedagogical Decision-making in Fostering Reflective Engagement of Students” (4 universities joint project) Total: HK$7,536,623 (Ref: HKIED7/T&L/12-15) (2014-2017)

International project collaboration

• C-I: OER (Office of Education Research), “Integrating Learning Analytics and Learning Design: Design and Implementation of Seamless Chinese Character Learning in Lower Primary Schools”. National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technology University. Total: S$145,631.00 (about HK$843,305) (16/11/2020-15/11/2022)

Awards and recognition in the past five years

Academic related awards

• “Bronze Award” Educational Technology Innovations in Poster Session atTeaching and Learning Innovation Expo 2023, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
• “Dean’s Research Output Prize” (2018 and 2020 respectively)
• Five “Best Paper Presentation awards" in different international conferences from 2020-2023 (Some awards with Dr Yang Yin)
• "Best Teacher Forum Paper Award" at Global Chinese Conference for Computers in Education (GCCCE) 2019.

Educational technology invention related awards

• EmoCare-An AI-powered Application to Foster Emotional Well-being, won “Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury” at the 51st International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva 2026.
• “Learningverse” – a metaverse platform, won “Bronze Medal” at the 48th International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva, Switzerland 2023; won “Silver Medal” and “Special Award” at The International Invention Innovation Competition in Canada (iCAN) 2023.
• “VocabGo” - The augmented reality app for vocabulary learning won two “Gold Medals” (2020; 2021) in (1) iCAN 2021, and (2) The International Innovation and Invention Competition (IIIC) Taiwan, China 2020, and “Organizer’s Choice Award” in iCAN 2020.
• “m-Orchestrate” – a mobile app for Collaborative Science Inquiry won “Silver Medal” and “Special Award” at iCAN 2020.

 Recognition

• The top 2% in the Stanford list of the world’s most-cited scientists in education.

Research postgraduate student supervision

• Ms Tao Lei, a PhD candidate, won “Outstanding Dean's Research Postgraduate Student Award”, “Best Dean's Research Postgraduate Student Teaching Award”, and “Best Speaker in the Faculty Postgraduate Seminar (FPS)”, at the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (FLASS), EdUHK, 2024/2025
• Dr Yang Yin won "Outstanding Research Postgraduate Student Award of the Dean’s Research Fund" 2022/23

External Member of Thesis Advisor Committee (TAC) 

An external member of the Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) approved by Dean of Graduate Studies and Professional Learning, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (2024-present)

Patents

• Method and apparatus for analyizing emotions of text and generating feedback responses on text (USA 2023 and HK 2024)
• A system and method for animating an avatar in a virtual world (USA, HK and Chinese Mainland 2022)

Editorship(special issues)

• Guest editor: IEEE Transactions of Learning Technologies (SSCI)
• Lead editor & Co-editor: Educational Technology & Society (SSCI)
• Lead editor: Journal of Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning
• Co-editor: Journal of Computers in Education
• On the editorial board of Educational Technology & Society (SSCI)
• On the editorial board of the International Journal of Mobile Learning & Organisation

Key roles in international conferences/organisations

• President Elect of the Asia-Pacific Society of Computers in Education (APSCE) (2026-2
• Chair of International Programme Coordination Committee (IPC) at the 34th International Conferences on Computers in Education (ICCE 2026)
• Chair of International Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Language Learning and Literacy (AI3L) (former ICFULL) (2026-)
• Executive Member of Global Chinese Society for Computers in Education (GCSCE) (2016-present)
• Founding member and Steering Committee Co-Chair of the International Conference on Future Language Learning (ICFULL) 2022

Selected recent keynote / invited speaker

• Keynote speaker, The 3rd International Conference on Educational Digitalisation and Computer Science in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (EDCS 2026), Zhuhai, China
• Keynote speaker, AI-Powered Immersive Learning: Shaping the Future of Education, at Media Education Conference 2025, Rovaniemi, Finland
• Keynote speaker at The 2^nd International Conference on Intelligent Technology for Educational Applications, 2025, Bangkok, Thailand
• Keynote speaker on Going Beyond Physical Classrooms: Experiencing Immersive and Interactive Learning in the Metaverse with a Digital Human Teacher, February 2025, Hosei University, Japan
• Invited speaker at 11th International Conference on Education and Training Technologies (ICET 2025), Macau, China
• Invited Panel Discussant "AI and Educational Big Data Platform for educational Digital Transformation and Evidence-based Education" at ICLEA 2025, Fukuoka, Japan.
• Invited Panel Discussant at AI Education and Innovation Forum, World AI Conference, Shanghai, China, 2025
• Invited speaker at Educational Futures: Cultivating future-ready teachers and learners, CUHK-ECNU Joint-Forum, April 2024, Hong Kong, China
• Invited speaker at the 10th International Conference on Education and Training Technologies (ICETT), April 2024, Macau, China.

Selected journal reviewer

• Computers & Education
• British Journal of Educational Technology
• Educational Technology Research & Development
• Interactive Learning Environment
• Technology, Pedagogy and Education
• The Internet and Higher Education
• IEEE Transactions of Learning Technologies
• Educational Technology & Society
• Educational Computing Research

Design and implementation of innovative learning environments with immerging technologies; metaverse and generative AI in learning and teaching