L.V. Smirnova graduated from the Department of English-German Languages of the School of Foreign Languages at Volgograd State Pedagogical Institute with Excellence in 1977. From 1977 to 1979 she worked as a vice-principal of extra-curriculum work at School # 17 of Volgograd city. In 1979 she was invited to work as an Associate Professor at the Department of English Lexica and Phonetics at VSPU. In 1982 she was transferred to the position of Associate Professor at the Department of Education. While working at the Pedagogical Institute she displayed initiative and creativity and demonstrated skills for constant upgrading of her research and methodological qualifications.

In 1984 she was enrolled in the Postgraduate school at the Department of Education at VSPU and successfully graduated from it with the defense of her Ph. D theses in 1989. After graduation from the Post Graduate School, L.V. Smirnova was promoted to senior Lecturer and then Associate Professor. In 1993 Dr. Smirnova was elected Dean of the School of Foreign Languages. As Dean, L.V. Smirnova made a great contribution to the development of the School, strengthening its educational, methodological and financial base, and demonstrating her talent as an administrator and an experienced educator. For the many years of her devoted work, fruitful contributions to the development and improvement of the methodological, research and academic processes, and for her achievements in teacher preparation, she was awarded the Honor Diploma of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation.

L.V. Smirnova is well known among the research scholars in Russia and abroad. During many years she was investigating the problems of General and Comparative Education. She published more than 70 research and methodological works in Russia and abroad. She was an initiator, organizer and a participant of quite a few international conferences and seminars held in Russia, USA, Holland, Germany and England. Under her supervision three dissertations and many Master’s dissertations on contemporary problems of pedagogy were successfully defended. She actively participated in the scientific expertise for research works in Pedagogy as an official opponent in different Dissertation Boards. In 2000 Dr. L.V. Smirnova was enrolled in the Post Doctorate School at the Department of Education.

L.V. Smirnova has gained a deep respect among her students and colleagues at the University, among the teachers of the Volgograd region and the city.

VSPU Rector V. I. Danilchuk