The Irish Academy of Public Relations was formed in 1991 by Ellen Gunning, the PR consultant, author and broadcaster. In the early years (1990s) the Academy taught PR & journalism courses at University College Dublin (UCD), University College Cork (UCC) and Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT).

As we grew, we expanded our range of courses to encompass a wide scope of communications topics, and expanded our network of partners to evening classes in Irish colleges, the e-Learning Academy in Greece, Dorben Polytechnic in Nigeria, and Orient Planet Academy in the United Arab Emirates. We have graduates in 53 countries around the world and tutors across 3 continents.

Currently, we offer a range of Professional Diploma & Certificate courses, a suite of Online Continuing Professional Development courses, and training for the Corporate & NGO sectors.