Dr Liubov Darzhinova is a Research Assistant Professor of the Graduate School at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK). She previously held a postdoctoral position in the Department of English Language Education at EdUHK under the Research Grants Council’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Scheme (now the RGC Junior Research Fellow Scheme).

Her research is interdisciplinary, integrating applied linguistics, psycholinguistics, and education to investigate how the interplay of technology, culture, and identity shapes youth development and second/foreign language learning. She explores digital platforms and tools, from social media to generative AI, as transformative spaces where young people construct, negotiate, and reimagine their academic and sociocultural identities.

Liubov earned her PhD in Applied Linguistics at EdUHK as a recipient of the prestigious RGC Hong Kong PhD Fellowship. Before moving to Hong Kong, she completed her MA in Applied Linguistics at the University of Pannonia (Hungary) through the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship, one of the EU’s highly competitive, fully funded programs. She graduated summa cum laude with a BA in English and German Studies from Kalmyk State University (Russia).

Beyond research, Dr Darzhinova is deeply committed to mentorship and outreach. From 2013 to 2017, she served as the Regional Representative for the School League program in her home region of Kalmykia, where she organized initiatives that supported youth through education, career counseling, and early research engagement. At EdUHK, she continues this mission by supervising master’s and doctoral students in applied linguistics and language education.