Prof Anne Looney is the Executive Dean of Dublin City University’s Institute of Education, Ireland’s largest faculty of education with 4000 students and 150 academic staff. From 2001 until 2016 she was the CEO of Ireland’s National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, responsible for curriculum and assessment for early years, primary and post-primary education in Ireland. She also held the position of Interim CEO at the Higher Education Authority until March 2017. 

A former teacher, she completed her doctoral studies at the Institute of Education of University College London. In 2014/2015 she was Professorial Research Fellow at the Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education, based at Australian Catholic University in Brisbane. 

Her current research interests include assessment policy and practice, curriculum, teacher education and identity and professional standards for teachers and teaching. She has conducted reviews for the OECD on school quality and assessment systems. She is the current president of the International Professional Development Association.