Weiwei Chen

Dr Weiwei Chen hold a PhD in Development Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), the University of London (awarded in October 2021). Her research focused on ‘The Dynamics of Chinese Private Outward Foreign Direct Investment in Ethiopia: A Comparison of the Light Manufacturing Industry and the Construction Materials Industry.

She has rich practical experience in China-Africa research projects. She has a consistent record of delivering successful research projects, consultancy work for UN agencies, and policy advisory to the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC). For instance, as one of the core research assistants, she worked with Prof Carlos Oya (SOAS) in a four-year international collaborative academic research project on 'Chinese Firms and Employment Dynamics in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Comparative Analysis', funded by the DFID-ESRC.

Weiwei completed her PhD fellowship at UNU-WIDER (Sep-Nov 2019) in Helsinki, Finland to work on "The dynamics of state–business relations between the Ethiopian state and Chinese private firms:A case study of the Eastern Industry Park''.

Currently, she is doing a 15-month ESRC-funded project on “Learning to Manage the Factory Floor in Ethiopia: Skills, Work Cultures and Organisational Capabilities in Ethiopia’s Light Manufacturing” led by Prof Carlos Oya.