Contributors to this special issue have been asked to provide self-portraits of their intellectual lives and to consider the development of the Philosophy of Education Society of Australasia (PESA) as an organisation. The author approaches this task by keeping the autobiographical details to a minimum and focusing more on the prospects for philosophy of education within contemporary institutions of higher education. Attention is paid to the New Zealand context and the role PESA has played, and can continue to play, in keeping philosophy of education alive. The author argues that while the challenges to retaining robust programmes of philosophy of education in university contexts are substantial, there is considerable hope for the future of the field in the work of newer and younger scholars.