Serena Di Fusco

Serena Di Fusco is a PhD student (41st cycle) in the Asia, Africa, and the Mediterranean (DAAM) Department at the University of Naples “L’Orientale” and a Research Assistant on the ERASMUS+ ChinGram project at the same institution.

Her PhD research investigates the pedagogical effectiveness and learner acceptance of AI-mediated speaking practice in the development of oral proficiency among Italian L1 learners of Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL). The study examines whether AI-based speaking activities can support oral proficiency development across different proficiency levels and explores learners’ perceptions of AI as a tool for speaking practice and instant feedback.

She completed her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Naples “L’Orientale” with a thesis focusing on the cultural and social impact of China’s family planning policy. During her Master’s studies, her experience as a peer tutor of Chinese language played a key role in shaping her interest in language teaching and linguistics, leading her to pursue a Master’s thesis on teaching Italian as a second and foreign language to Chinese university students. Between 2019 and 2023, she worked as an adjunct lecturer of Italian as a foreign language at Huaqiao University in Quanzhou and Xiamen, China.

In 2021, she completed a second-level Master’s program in Teaching Chinese Language and Culture, which enabled her to gain further teaching experience as an adjunct lecturer of Chinese as a foreign language in Italy, at the University of Naples “Federico II” (2022–2024) and at the SSML Columbus Academy in Rome (2023–2024).

Prior to starting her PhD, she worked as a research assistant on the ERASMUS+ ChinGram project (2024–2025), contributing to the development of multilingual digital teaching materials, and as an academic tutor for the first-level Master’s Program in Global Management for China (2023–2025).

She is also a co-author of the textbook Il cinese per il lavoro (职场实用汉语), published by Hoepli in 2024 and aimed at advanced Italian learners of Chinese.