Today, June 19, I am launching www.ilearnforum.com, an online learning platform focused on Southeast Asia and the interdisciplinary fields of governance, capacity development, and sustainable development. To mark the launch, I reflect on the experiences that led me to create this learning space. Its development has been shaped by three main forces: decades of academic training and professional work, my direct experience with E-learning, and the gaps I have observed in the study of Southeast Asia.

iLearnforum’s focus reflects my academic background and professional experience. I studied Southeast Asia and government at Cornell University, conducted postdoctoral research on the region at the Australian National University, and taught and researched Southeast Asia—especially Vietnam—in the United States, Australia, and Vietnam. I have also worked as a researcher and consultant on governance, capacity development, and sustainable development across Vietnam, Southeast Asia, and several African countries. My governance work has addressed public administration reform, decentralization, access to justice, anti-corruption, political participation, and governance assessment. In capacity development, I have focused on reform-oriented project management, logical framework analysis, policy planning, policy analysis, and monitoring and evaluation. My sustainable development work has covered social protection, inclusive growth, SME support, green agriculture, just energy transition, and legal aid. By 2026, I was also proficient in English, Vietnamese, and Thai. Together, these experiences shaped iLearnforum’s mission: to support learners interested in Southeast Asia and the related fields of governance, capacity development, and sustainable development.

A second force behind iLearnforum is my positive experience with technological change, especially E-learning. I come from the Mac SE/30 generation, which now feels almost ancient. Over the past decades, however, I have benefited greatly from technological advances, including many online learning platforms. These experiences have shown me the strengths of E-learning: accessibility, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. Although online learning has limits, particularly the reduced opportunity for face-to-face interaction, it remains a valuable option for people committed to continuing their education.

iLearnforum is also shaped by gaps I have observed in the teaching and learning of Southeast Asia. By the early twenty-first century, Southeast Asian studies and international development centers were well established and supported by a substantial body of scholarship and publications. Yet instruction on Southeast Asia and interdisciplinary management fields has often remained separate across universities, research institutes, and development-focused learning hubs. Bringing these areas together in a single space of inquiry remains uncommon.

Overall, iLearnforum draws on my academic background, professional experience, engagement with E-learning, and belief that Southeast Asian studies should be more closely connected to governance, capacity development, and sustainable development. At its core, iLearnforum makes learning about Southeast Asia and selected management topics more flexible, practical, and accessible. With an internet connection, learners can study anytime and anywhere through a blend of self-paced and collaborative learning, supported by instructor feedback.

To learn more, visit www.ilearnforum.com or follow iLearnforum on Facebook. I look forward to connecting with you.