Dr Diana Toimbek

Overview

Dr. Diana Toimbek is a Lecturer in Public Administration and Policy at the School of Applied Social and Policy Sciences, Ulster University, Belfast. She holds a Ph.D. from the School of Public Affairs at Zhejiang University, China, and an MSc from Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan.

Her research focuses on public administration and policy in hybrid and transitional regimes, with a particular emphasis on Central Asia. This regional grounding continues to inform research on how the region manage governance changes, socio-economic transformation, and global challenges. Her work is supported by international research funding, including from the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the British Academy, and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), with publications drawing on both quantitative and qualitative methodologies.

Dr. Toimbek teaches across postgraduate and undergraduate levels, with postgraduate teaching engaging professionals in public service, bridging academic theory with applied policy and administrative practice. She also supervises postgraduate research and contributes actively to the broader research, social and civic engagement in Central Asia and internationally.