“This is a book of its time, and one for its time.” So says Paul Trowler of Lancaster University, in his Foreword to this edited collection of new work. The book exemplifies the iPED Research Network’s diversity, exposing both the links and the boundaries between the higher education researchers involved, their students and their institutions. But, as Professor Trowler goes on to say, “What all the chapters have in common is the rigorous and grounded approach based on evidence.”

The fifteen contributed chapters are thematically divided into three sections.

• Responding to Complexity: authors from Australia, Austria and the UK consider aspects of academic life as diverse as funding and intellectual pleasure

• Transforming Academic Identities: views from the UK, Eire and Denmark on evolving as an academic.

• Pedagogy and Practice: exemplars of approaches to teaching and learning that use innovative technologies and methods across varying educational contexts.

The Introduction by Professor Paul Blackmore of King’s College London sets the scene. Chapters are supplemented by commentary from critical friends, providing alternative perspectives on the work by educational researchers from different disciplines, institution types or nations.

Keywords are provided to encourage the reader to dip into the book according to their research interests.