Issue 18 is wrapped around the notion of institutional collaboration, the contemporary necessity and facets of which are examined in the main article by Tengku Munira. The issue is also a celebration of OUM’s long-standing collaborative relationship with the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH). For the occasion, we interviewed Dr Bui Xuan Lam, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of HUTECH, who shares his views on how the seeds were first planted and how they have germinated and blossomed over the years. Also, readers may have noticed that Issue 18 is something of a bumper issue on account it featuring two interviews instead of one under the “In Conversation” column. The two illustrious personalities we interviewed are Prof KC Li and Prof Junhong Xiao. One interview was to have been saved for the subsequent issue but we thought why not run it now seeing that it had already come in. We trust readers will find both interviews shedding much light on the world of online, distance, and digital education (ODDE) which, like everything else, has its fault-lines that practitioners should be fully cognisant of at the very least. We are also pleased to announce the debut appearance of the “From the VC’s Office” column serving as a direct channel for the President/Vice-Chancellor of OUM to share his thoughts on matters that matter to the industry. All the other usual columns are also featured. Enjoy!

Best

Dr David Lim, Editor