About Julie Arliss

Julie Arliss – International Speaker, Educator & Thought Leader

Julie Arliss is an award-winning educator, international speaker, and author with a global reputation for delivering intellectually rigorous and inspiring talks. A Farmington Scholar at Harris Manchester College, Oxford, she is the founder of Academy Learning, a multi-stranded educational initiative supporting high-level learning for students, teachers, and school leaders across the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

Under the Academy Learning umbrella, Julie has developed and directs:

EthIQa, delivering innovative A Level Religious Studies content and resources across the UK;
Thriving Minds, providing online and live academic stretch programmes for gifted students and professional development for teachers in both the UK and Australasia;
Philosothon UK, a national programme promoting philosophical dialogue and ethical reasoning in schools.

Julie is also a founding member of Oxford Academy Conferences and has worked extensively with the Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion at the University of Oxford, where she successfully project managed two major externally funded initiatives:

Accelerating Insight
Philosothon Expansion

She has served as Project Support Coordinator in Oxford’s Faculty of Theology and Religion, contributing to research programmes such as New Horizons for Science and Religion in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), Humanities and Healthcare, and her work with the McDonald Centre for Theology, Ethics & Public Life, which explores the ethical dimensions of faith, leadership, and public life.

Julie has taught A-level Philosophy and Religious Studies at King’s College Taunton, worked with Cambridge International Examinations, and led CPD training for major UK exam boards. Her Philosophy, Ethics, and Religion conferences—delivered annually across the UK, Australia, and New Zealand—are attended by thousands of senior students and are widely recognised for offering university-level thinking in a dynamic and accessible format.

Julie also leads Academy-Ltd.com, providing strategic CPD and leadership support for school leaders and senior managers. Through this work, she is leading from the front—helping educators shape values-led, forward-thinking school communities.

Since 2009, Julie has successfully run her own educational company, overseeing all aspects of financial management, digital systems, policy development, and event delivery. In the three years prior to COVID, her events drew over 20,000 students and 3,000 educators. She has partnered with universities including Oxford, Cambridge, Liverpool Hope, and Aberdeen, and worked alongside leading public intellectuals such as the late Sir Roger Scruton, Alister McGrath, Raymond Tallis, and Stephen Law.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Julie responded to immense challenges with innovation—leading the rapid development of the EthIQa and Thriving Minds platforms and transitioning Academy Learning’s outreach to a successful digital model. This initiative highlighted her adaptability, strong IT skills, and entrepreneurial leadership in education.

She is also Chair of the Independent Schools Religious Studies Association (ISRSA) and serves on the executive of the Religious Education Network (REN), national bodies supporting excellence in Religious Education across both the maintained and independent sectors.

Julie’s closest collaborator has been Dr Andrew Pinsent, former CERN physicist, Catholic priest, and Research Director at the Ian Ramsey Centre. Her most important intellectual mentor has been Professor Keith Ward, Regius Professor Emeritus of Divinity at Christ Church, Oxford—whose influence continues to shape her vision for deep, spiritually alive education.

As a single mother to three daughters, Julie has built her work on a foundation of resilience, adaptability, and expert prioritisation—balancing the demands of family life with national and international leadership. Known for making complex ideas clear—and challenging students and staff alike to think more deeply—Julie is a sought-after keynote speaker for conferences, teacher training, academic events, and leadership development across the UK and Australasia.

To invite Julie to speak or collaborate, please visit academylearning.com or academy-ltd.com, or get in touch: headoffice@academy-ltd.com.