Georgina Ferry interviews Xin Xu, Research Fellow at the Centre for Global Higher Education (CGHE) and Junior Research Fellow (Kellogg College), 15 March 2023. Topics discussed include (00:00:40) undergraduate degree in China, interest in social sciences and higher education studies, DPhil at Oxford; (00:03:00) fundamental questions in higher education research; (00:05:15) influence of higher education research on policies; (00:06:46) education systems globally; (00:12:30) first awareness of COVID-19; (00:20:33) pivot towards research relating to the COVID-19 pandemic; (00:26:20) hybrid working; (00:28:32) changes to research, including cancellations of in-person research trips and training courses; (00:37:57) research project, including webinar series 'Global research in the Covid-19 pandemic'; (00:49:32) inequalities during the pandemic, including relating to women and care responsibilities; (00:51:58) ethical issues around researching during the COVID-19 pandemic; (00:57:47) personal threat from COVID-19; (01:01:25) future research interests; (01:06:37) changes in approach to work as a result of the pandemic; (01:08:35) decolonisation and research; (01:10:50) impact of the pandemic on career as a researcher.