Production of this issue of Inspired began around the time that we entered the third lockdown. Fortunately, much of the groundwork was already laid by then, including the photography sessions that took place a few months earlier to obtain new images for the my_philosophy column. The bulk of the editorial and graphic production work was done in distance mode, which worked and has always worked well for us. Here I would like to take the opportunity to offer my sincere thanks to the team members and contributors.

Issue 13 features as its main highlight an interview with our prominent resident counselling psychologist, the affable Professor Datuk Dr Mohd Tajudin Md Ninggal, on the state of mental health in and out of the academy in these pandemic times. Beneath the seemingly placid surface, emotions, it appears, are roiling for a significant number of us. Read the full interview to find out how Prof Taj views the situation and why he says now is the time for us to keep an eye out for each other’s wellbeing even as we hunker down. The other two features in this issue – an interview on learner servicing with Rohaizak Omar, Director of the Centre for Learner Affairs, and a reflective piece on pedagogy by AP Dr Nantha Kumar Subramaniam – exemplify some of the unsung ways in which the duty of care highlighted by Prof Taj is exercised in whichever capacity we occupy. We hope these features will be an edifying read for you.

Be safe and sane.

Best wishes