Neil holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics from the University of Edinburgh on applying item response theory. After teaching English in countries including Poland and Japan, where he set up programmes at university level, Neil came to Cambridge in 1992.

He has worked on innovative developments including item-banking and computer-adaptive testing, and on the construction and use of multilingual proficiency frameworks, including the Common European Framework of Reference.

He directed research for Asset Languages, developed for the UK government’s national languages strategy, and most recently directed the first European Survey on Language Competences, co-ordinated by Cambridge English Language Assessment for the European Commission. His current interest is Learning Oriented Assessment.