Dr Ann Thanaraj

Ann Thanaraj is an Associate Professor of Learning and Teaching and Head of Digital and AI Innovations at Teesside University. Her practical and research work sits at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), digital transformation in higher education, and legal education and practice.

Ann serves as Chair of the AI Operations Group, guiding the institution through thoughtful and evidence-based engagement with AI in curriculum, teaching, assessment, and research. Her leadership is grounded in shared purpose, intellectual curiosity, and a commitment to student-centred innovation. Under her direction, the group has become a catalyst for change - challenging norms, pushing boundaries, and embedding a proactive AI strategy across the academic experience.

Nationally and internationally recognised for her leadership and contribution to the sector, Ann is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA), a National Teaching Fellow, and a recipient of the Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE).

She also co-chairs the University’s Adobe Operations, supporting Teesside’s status as the first Adobe Creative Campus in Europe. In this role, she leads on embedding creativity and digital fluency across all subject areas, ensuring all students - regardless of discipline - develop essential skills in creative communication, collaboration, and digital expression, empowered to demonstrate their learning in dynamic and meaningful ways.

Ann’s scholarly contributions in digital lawyering have been widely cited, including by the UK House of Lords, for their impact on automated decision-making and digital justice. Her research has shaped policy discourse around digital literacies, legal governance, and the need for multidisciplinary training to address the ethical and societal implications of emerging technologies. Her most recent work, co-authored with Paul Durston, offers a transformative vision for education - one that goes beyond systems and structures to reimagine learning as a deeply human pursuit. They advocate for educational experiences that stretch students’ capacity for critical thinking, creativity, empathy, resilience, and a lifelong passion for growth and contribution.

A sought-after speaker at national and global forums, Ann challenges the sector to rethink how education is designed, sharing powerful stories of how education can break cycles, unlock potential, and uplift communities. Her message is both a reflection and a provocation: education, when done right, transforms lives. You can learn more about Ann’s initiatives on LinkedIn.