COL's 2006-09 Plan, developed after extensive consultation, is robust. Its simple theme, Learning for Development, encapsulates a mission that will guide COL through a turbulent decade. The Plan's outcomes (policy, systems, models and materials) are a pragmatic expression of its aims and an effective framework for COL's work. Grassroots interventions inspired by action research allow the steady refinement of models for using learning technology to foster development. The Bill Gates Foundation has identified COL as a 'thought leader' in rural development because we have internalised the habit of reflective practice. My own vision is that by continuing to emphasise creativity, innovation and partnerships, COL can further extend its thought leadership in the years ahead.// The decade to 2018 will see continuous change, as much in the goals of development as in the learning technologies that can help countries achieve them. What are the key trends?