The articles in this issue cover a range of themes: the role of faculty members in the first year of higher education; scientific literacy and self-efficacy among pre-service teachers; the discussions of female students about their relationships with male "partners"; acquisition of listening skills among Japanese students; teachers' knowledge indices and student academic performance in Nigeria; the juxtaposition of power and trust in educational relationships; and foreign language proficiency as an asset for Japanese graduates. Each of these topics have relevance in other settings.