In this paper, we explain how our individual PhD enquiries have informed the philosophical underpinnings of our postgraduate programmes. The approach used to ensure validity and rigour in the research process is presented. We report on the development of the International Research Centre for e-Innovation and Workplace Learning and its collaboration in European projects such as Pathway to Inquiry Based Learning, Inspiring Science Education and the African based Global e-Schools and Communities Initiative project Leadership Development in ICT and the Knowledge (...) Society. Our claim is that researching our own practice can be a transformative experience for the practitioner-researcher who is committed to generating knowledge that has personal, professional and social value. (shrink)