Prof. xiaolan yu | Big Data Analytics – Anhui Normal University | China
Prof. Xiaolan Yu, born in 1982, is a leading scholar in civil and commercial law, specializing in intellectual property law, data law, and civil law theory. She is a professor and doctoral supervisor at Anhui Normal University and serves as the Secretary of the Civil Law Party Branch. With visiting experience at Oxford, Wisconsin, and Hong Kong, she contributes widely to legal academia and policymaking. She holds editorial and review positions in national and international platforms and actively participates in academic societies and legal advisory roles. Her research has significantly shaped China’s data rights and digital governance discourse.
Professional Profile
Education
Prof. Xiaolan Yu earned her Ph.D. in Civil and Commercial Law from Fudan University (2014), after completing her Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees at Anhui University of Finance and Economics (2004–2007, 2000–2004). She later undertook a postdoctoral fellowship in Intellectual Property Law at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (2018–2022). Her academic trajectory includes prestigious visiting scholar appointments at the University of Oxford (2023–2024), the University of Wisconsin (2017–2018), and the University of Hong Kong (2016), supported by national and university scholarships. Her education deeply informs her authoritative research on data law, civil law theory, and intellectual property law.
Professional Experience
Since 2007, Prof. Yu has held teaching roles at Zhaotong Teachers’ College, Sanya College of Hainan University, and since 2014, at Anhui Normal University. She currently serves as a professor and doctoral supervisor, Party Branch Secretary, and Director of the Data Law Research Centre. She has also completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Beyond academia, she acts as an arbitrator, legal consultant, and policy advisor across multiple provincial and municipal institutions. She is widely involved in legal education reform, talent cultivation, and empirical legal research projects funded at national, ministerial, and provincial levels.
Awards and Recognition
Prof. Yu has received over 15 prestigious awards, including the 2025 “Responsible Review Expert” by the National Social Science Fund and the “Top Talented Young Scholar” of Anhui Province. Her essays have won prizes at the “Yangtze River Forum”, the China Law Society Youth Forum, and the “Central Rise Rule of Law Forum”. She was awarded first prizes for excellent doctoral studies at Fudan University and multiple teaching competition accolades. Her mentorship has led student teams to win in national competitions such as the “Challenge Cup” and “Internet+” innovation programs, underscoring her dual impact in research and pedagogy.
Research Skills and Focus
Prof. Yu’s research integrates civil law, data law, and intellectual property through empirical and interdisciplinary approaches. Her pioneering “Dualism of Data Rights and Interests” has influenced data governance theory in China. She excels in legal analysis, policy advisory, and project leadership, having directed National Social Science Fund projects and provincial think tanks. Her work addresses data property rights, algorithm regulation, personal information protection, and big data governance. Proficient in both doctrinal and comparative methods, she contributes to SSCI and CSSCI journals and has presented at key international and domestic legal forums, establishing herself as a top data law scholar.
Publications
Unraveling the balance between personal data protection and public interest
2025, Journal of Chinese Governance
Cited for proposing a dual-interest theoretical model and testing its application in public sector data usage.
Current status and governance of data assets monetization in the global maritime industry
2024, Ocean & Coastal Management
Recognized for its comparative insight into data asset commercialization practices across major maritime economies.
Theoretical and Practical Aspects of Data Asset Monetization in Maritime Enterprises
2024, Fudan Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences
Frequently referenced for its integrated legal-economical perspective on corporate data valuation mechanisms.
Legal Coordination of Conflicts of Interests among Stakeholders in the Processing of Personal Data
2022, Fudan Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences
Cited in works addressing multi-party rights reconciliation in complex data ecosystems.
Allocating Personal Data Rights: Toward Resolving Conflicts of Interest over Personal Data
2021, Fudan Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences
Influential in shaping normative debates on personal versus collective data control.
The three legal dimensions of China’s big data governance
2021, Journal of Chinese Governance
Frequently quoted for mapping China’s data governance into legal, administrative, and ethical categories.
Dualism in data protection: Balancing the right to personal data and the data property right
2019, Computer Law & Security Review