Bei JU (Jenny) is a Lecturer in Intercultural Communication at the University of Manchester. Her research interests focus on the nexus between ICTs and migration within intercultural communication.

Prior to joining the Centre for Translation and Intercultural Studies (CTIS), Jenny was an assistant professor at the Faculty of Humanities and Arts at Macau University of Science and Technology (2019-2022). She examined how social media use (dis)empowers female labour migrants in vulnerable conditions, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jenny also worked as a researcher and outreach officer at the United Nations University Institute in Macau (2017-2019). Her research explored the social media use of mainland Chinese dual migrants in their border crossing. Meanwhile, she was responsible for developing institutional strategies to manage partnerships with academic institutions.

My research mainly covers these two areas: 1) digital media, acculturation and homemaking, and 2) digital technologies for female development. These studies have enriched the understanding of the (dis)empowering roles of digital technologies in shaping online-offline experiences among various migrant groups. Contextualised in the UK, my studies examine the opportunities and challenges faced by female international students, particularly their digital media use. 

Current PGR supervision

Zhuo WANG (started 2025) Navigating Emotion and Identity: The Affective Practices of Chinese Female International Students in the UK (with Dr Elena Barabantseva)

For guidance on research proposal requirements, please refer to https://www.alc.manchester.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/applying/writing-your-proposal/

Associate Editor of Frontiers in Communication (2026–Present)

Member of the Editorial Board, Communication Monographs (2026–Present)

Secretary for the Language and Social Interaction Division (2024-2026), International Communication Association (ICA)

Member of ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council) Peer Review College (2024–Present)

Member of the Editorial Board, Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (2023–Present)

Reviewer of the Communication Monographs, Gender, Place & Culture, Journal of International and Intercultural Communication, Journal of Intercultural Communication, Educational Review, Journal for Multicultural Education, Social Inclusion, and Genealogy

Reviewer of the Intercultural Communication Division, International Communication Association (ICA), Gender and Communication Section, International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR)

I teach on and supervise dissertations for the MA in Intercultural Communication (MAIC).  Current course units I teach include: 

• ICOM60001 Introduction to Intercultural Communication
• ICOM60091 Social Media, Culture and Migration (Convenor)
• ICOM70201 Research Methods in Translation and Intercultural Studies
• ICOM70302 Research Development Seminar (Convenor)

I have also taught 12 courses across all university levels. Selected past courses include Culture, Media and Globalisation, Special Topics in Culture and Communication, Special Topics in Cultural Studies, Media and Society, and Business Communication.