On January 30, 2026, Elsevier has officially released its 2025 "Highly Cited Chinese Researchers" list, recognizing leading scholars based on their research impact. In the field of Education, only 22 scholars nationwide received this prestigious recognition. Among them are Professor Cui Yunhuo and Professor Lei Hao from the Institute of Curriculum and Instruction (ICI) at East China Normal University (ECNU).
This marks the fourth consecutive year that Professor Cui has been included on the list, and the third for Professor Lei—an indication of their continued influence in educational research both in China and internationally.
Professor Cui Yunhuo serves as Director of the Institute of Curriculum and Instruction and Executive Director of the National Center for School Curriculum and Textbook Development. He is also Editor-in-Chief of Global Education . He is a leading figure in China's national curriculum reform, serving as a member of the National Textbook Committee and has been recognized as a National Leading Talent in Philosophy and Social Sciences.
His research focuses on national curriculum reform and curriculum and pedagogical theory. He has authored Effective Teaching and School-Based Curriculum in China: Conceptions and Practices to Unleash School Vitality and published over 200 papers. He has received multiple National Teaching Achievement Awards as well as the First Prize for Outstanding Scientific Research in Higher Education.
Professor Lei Hao is a Professor and PhD Supervisor at ICI, and Vice Dean of the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences at ECNU. In addition to Elsevier recognition, he was also named to Stanford University's "World's Top 2% Scientists" list (2024).
His research areas include curriculum reform, textbook utilization, and curriculum development. He has led multiple projects funded by the National Social Science Fund and published over 60 papers in leading journals, such as Educational Psychology Review , JRSE , and Educational Research . He also serves as a reviewer for top-tier journals including Child Development . His honors include the National Teaching Achievement Award (First Prize) and the Shanghai Philosophy and Social Science Outstanding Achievement Award.
About the ranking
Elsevier's "Highly Cited Chinese Researchers" list is based on data from Scopus, one of the world's leading citation and index database. Developed in partnership with Shanghai Ranking Consultancy, the list evaluates scholars using multiple indicators of their research performance. The ranking serves as a vital benchmark for institutional academic influence and highlights the core competitiveness of research universities in key disciplinary fields.