Ruru (Dr. des.) is a PhD candidate in Economics at Hitotsubashi University in Japan. Her PhD research focuses on strengthening the sustainability of the long-term care system in China, using a comparative approach with the Japanese system. Ruru applies both quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate the socioeconomic determinants of healthy ageing and to analyse the long-term care systems in China and Japan.

Currently, Ruru is undertaking a fellowship under the “Young Researchers’ Exchange Programme”, awarded by the ETH, Switzerland. Based at the University of Basel, she conducts quantitative data analysis of a Swiss nationally representative dataset to investigate the factors associated with the acceptance of new technologies in long-term care settings among the Swiss population.

With five years of work experience in the non-profit sector in East Asia, she brings valuable practical expertise into her academic pursuits. Previously, she obtained a BSc in Psychology from Warwick (with distinction) and an MSc in Global Health from LSE (with the Brian-Abel Smith Prize for best overall performance in her programme).