The key speakers for New Directions 2021 include key thought leaders, policy makers, educational experts and tertiary education institute leaders in the field of English Language Assessment.

Richard Spiby

Workshop Presenter - Test Development Researcher (Receptive skills) at Assessment Research Group, British Council, UK

Test Development with the British Council Assessment Research Group since 2016. His main responsibilities include overseeing operational analysis and developing reading and listening components of new tests. He also works on a variety of assessment development and training projects worldwide. Richard has previously worked in the UK and Turkey, mainly in the university sector, in test production, management and research.

Andreas Schleicher

Director for Education and Skills, and Special Advisor on Education Policy to the Secretary-General, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

He initiated and oversees the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and other international instruments that have created a global platform for policy-makers, researchers and educators across nations and cultures to innovate and transform educational policies and practices.

Carolyn Westbrook

Workshop Presenter - Test Development Researcher (Productive skills) at Assessment Research Group , British Council, UK

Formerly an Associate Professor in EFL, she has over 25 years’ experience teaching and assessing EAP and ESP. A Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the UK, she has been a teacher, tester, teacher trainer and materials writer. Carolyn has been interested in Language Assessment since 2007, taking part in in a number of testing and assessment projects, including a major project teaching Russian university lecturers about language assessment.