Fan Liu Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Dr. Fan Liu is currently an Assistant Professor in Economics at International Business School Suzhou (IBSS), Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU). She obtained her Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Iowa. Her research focuses on the areas of financial inclusion, digital economics, financial technology (Fintech), small business entrepreneurship, macroeconomics and labor economics.

Dr. Liu has published in leading research journals, e.g. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization (SSCI, ABS3*, ABDC A*), Emerging Markets Review (SSCI, ABDC A, JCR IF 4.073), and Empirical Economics (SSCI, ABDC A). She has also presented at conferences hosted by University of Cambridge, Washington University in St. Louis, and many other world-class research institutions.

Dr. Liu's teaching covers a broad range of modules in Economics and Finance. She received teaching awards from both the University of Iowa and XJTLU. In addition, she is the Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) in the UK. At XJTLU, Dr. Liu supervises postgraduate and undergraduate dissertations. She also serves as the Director of Internationalisation for IBSS.





  • PhD , University of Iowa, - 2017


  • Assistant Professor, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China, 2021- Present
  • Director of Internationalisation, International Business School Suzhou, XJTLU, 2020-Present
  • Internationalisation Officer, Department of Economics, International Business School Suzhou, XJTLU, 2018-2021
  • Lecturer, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China, 2017- 2021
  • Instructor, Tippie College of Business, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, U.S., 2016 - 2017


  • Financial Inclusion
  • Financial Intermediation and FinTech
  • Macroeconomics
  • Entrepreneurship and SMEs
  • Labor Economics


  • Liu, F., Walheer, B. 2022. "Financial inclusion, financial technology, and economic development: a composite index approach". Empirical Economics (ABDC A). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00181-021-02178-1
  • Kass-Hanna, J., Lyons, A. C., and Liu, F. 2021. "Building Financial Resilience Through Financial and Digital Literacy in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa". Emerging Markets Review (ABDC A). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ememar.2021.100846
  • Liu, F. 2018. "Macroeconomic effects of microsavings programs for the unbanked''. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization (ABDC A*), 154 (2018) 75–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2018.07.008


  • Liu, F., and Lyons, A. C. (forthcoming). Chapter 3 Use cases in fintech. In H. Kent Baker, G. Filbeck, & K. Black (Eds.). Emerald Handbook on FinTech: Reshaping Finance. Bingley, UK: Emerald Publishing.


  • 2023, The 10th Conference on Asia and Pacific Economies (CAPE), XJTLU-Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) / A multidimensional approach on measuring household risk tolerance in China
  • 2021, Academic Research Colloquium for Financial Planning and Related Disciplines (Online) / A multidimensional approach on measuring household risk tolerance in China
  • 2019-2020, Discussant, Allied Social Science Association Annual Meeting (ASSA/AEA)
  • 2017-2018, 18th SAET Conference on Current Trends in Economics / Macroeconomic Effects of Microsavings Programs for the Unbanked
  • 2017-2018, ISEM Workshop on Economics and Finance / Macroeconomic Effects of Microsavings Programs for the Unbanked
  • 2016-2017, Tow Economics Seminar / Macroeconomic Effects of Microsavings Programs for the Unbanked
  • 2015-2016, Spring 2016 Midwest Macroeconomics Meetings / Macroeconomic Effects of Microsavings Programs for the Unbanked
  • 2015-2016, 15th SAET Conference on Current Trends in Economics / Microfinance in the U.S.


  • XJTLU Research Development Fund (PI): An exploratory study using data science methods to predict households’ risk tolerance and financial behaviours. 98,000 RMB, 2023 - 2026.
  • IBSS Development Fund (PI): Financial risk tolerance and household finance: An exploratory study. 89,000 RMB, 2019-2021. (CI: Bai, Y. and Lyons, A.)
  • XJTLU Teaching Development Fund (PI): Does Flipping the Classroom Improve Academic Outcomes? Evidence in China. 2,000 RMB, 2018-2020. (CI: So, T. and Abbas, S.)


  • Referee for Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Annals of Finance, Journal of Poverty, International Journal of family business and management, RISE conference, The Sixth International Conference on Economic and Business Management (FEBM), International Journal of Bank Marketing, Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Managerial and Decision Economics, Humanities & Social Sciences Communications, International Journal of Bank Marketing, Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning, Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy.


  • ECO105 Introduction to Business and Economics
  • ECO224 Intermediate Macroeconomics
  • LAN104 Communication, Business, and the Environment
  • ECO201 History of Economic Thought
  • MAN303 Final Year Project


  • Fellow of the U.K. Higher Education Academy (FHEA), 2020


  • 2020 IBSS Development Fund, Discussion at the Allied Social Science Association Annual Meeting (ASSA/AEA), IBSS, XJTLU
  • 2019 IBSS Contribution to Education Research Award, XJTLU
  • 2018 Conference Travel Grant, International Business School Suzhou, XJTLU
Fan Liu