With issue 26 of inspired, we have given the publication a design and editorial refresh. Design-wise, it echoes the clean visual language of issue 25, a special issue that doubles up as OUM’s 25th anniversary coffee table book. The layout is more minimalist, with fewer distractions and more breathing space. This approach complements a more intentional editorial direction. Each edition now concentrates with greater focus on the ideas, people, and practices that shape OUM’s identity as a university committed to humanising digital education. 

Building on this renewed direction, this issue highlights the work and significance of OUM’s International Advisory Board and Global Fellows, whose activities culminated in a series of landmark engagements in August 2025 as part of the University’s anniversary celebrations, including the inaugural public lecture event. 

Another key feature of this issue is an interview with Prof Joane V. Serrano, Chancellor of the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU). She was recently appointed as the fifth Chancellor of UPOU, and the conversation offers timely insight into her vision, priorities, and reflections as she steps into this important leadership role. 

I invite you to spend time with the pieces gathered here. Each one reflects a moment in OUM’s ongoing story and the many minds shaping its direction. Thank you for staying with inspired as it continues to grow. 

Best 

Dr David Lim, Editor