We are delighted to announce that Professor Ni Qin from our institute and her husband, Professor Zhang Lei (College of Information Science and Intelligence, Donghua University), have been awarded the title of 2025 Shanghai Education System’s 15th “Soaring Together Model Couples”.
Both dedicated to education, they have advanced hand in hand in their teaching careers, nurturing students with outstanding professional expertise and collaborating seamlessly in disciplinary development. Not only have they achieved remarkable success in their respective positions, but they have also demonstrated a deep sense of responsibility and commitment, exemplifying the ideal of balancing family and career for faculty members at our university.
The “Soaring Together Model Couples” award, presented by the Shanghai Education System, is a biennial honor established in 1997. It is one of the most prestigious accolades in the local education community, recognizing couples who excel together in teaching, research, and family life, thereby showcasing the professional dedication and family virtues of educators.
Ni Qin
Professor, Master’s Supervisor
Institute of Language Sciences, Shanghai International Studies University
Professor Ni Qin is a recipient of the 2019 Shanghai Youth Science and Technology Talent Sailing Program. She holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Technology from the Technical University of Madrid, Spain. She serves as a member of the International Expert Group on AI and Education at UNESCO, and Deputy Secretary-General of the Frontier Technology and Industrial Innovation Governance Committee under the China Association for Science of Science and S&T Policy. As a drafter, she contributed to the development and release of two official UNESCO documents: Guidance for Generative AI in Education and Research and AI Competency Framework for Teachers. Her research focuses on machine learning, large language models, and AI applications in education. She has led projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Shanghai Natural Science Foundation, and UNESCO, as well as special AI technology initiatives under the Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan. Her research has been published in leading AI conferences and journals such as AAAI, IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, and IEEE Transactions on Computational Social Systems.
Zhang Lei
Associate Professor, Doctoral Supervisor, Deputy Department Chair
College of Information Science and Intelligence, Donghua University
Professor Zhang Lei is a recipient of the Shanghai Eastern Talent (Young) Program and a Jiangsu Province “Innovation and Entrepreneurship Talent.” He earned his Ph.D. in 2016 from the Technical University of Madrid, Spain (China Scholarship Council), and subsequently worked at the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, before joining Donghua University in 2018. His research interests include intelligent Internet of Bodies and large language model applications. He has led several research projects, including those funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (General Program and Youth Program) and industry commissions. He has received the Second Prize for Teaching Achievement from the China Textile Industry Federation, the UCIC-SER Young Scientist Award, and multiple awards for outstanding student competition advising. He serves as a member of the Antennas and RF Committee of the China Communications Standards Association, an expert consultant for the Shanghai People’s Procuratorate, a Youth Editorial Board Member of Health Care Science, and has held roles such as TPC member and Session Chair for several IEEE international conferences.
