| Summary: | In a panel presentation at the recent International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) world conference in Dusseldorf, Germany, I had the opportunity to explain the unique role and mission of International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning (IRRODL) vis – vis our more established sister journals: Open Praxis, Open Learning, Journal of Distance Education, Distance Education, and American Journal of Distance Education. Although all of these journals share a common commitment to the advancement of the knowledge and practice of open and distance education, each one has a unique role and mission. As the non-refereed international publication of ICDE, Open Praxis focuses primarily on distance education practice worldwide. As a refereed journal based at the Open University (UK), Open Learning regularly publishes articles relating to other parts of the world, although its primary emphasis is distance education theory, research, and practice with a British accent. As the official publication of the Canadian Association of Distance Education, Journal of Distance Education understandably focuses on Canadian distance education, although a significant number of articles in each issue relate to other parts of the world. As another example of an official publication of a national association, (Open and Distance Learning Association of Australia), Distance Education features several articles in most issues describing theory, research and/or practice in other countries. As is consonant with the geographical scope explicit in its title, American Journal of Distance Education emphasizes North American contributions to the theory, research and practice of distance education in North America, although contributions appear occasionally from other parts of the globe.
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