Cultural heritage multimedia is a young domain which lacks certain elements of mature fields, including degree-granting educational programs. Despite the absence of established paradigms, a number of academic institutions are developing programs in this area. At this critical juncture, when skills and processes are being codified for the first time in academic curricula, the input of professional practitioners is desperately needed. This paper and accompanying forum are an open invitation to the museum multimedia community to contribute their insights. Key issues will be discussed in the context of a conceptual model and concrete examples. The model is based on three years of student feedback at the University of Lugano. It addresses three questions:

• What should students know?
• How should they learn it?
• Who should teach it?

Meaningful dialogue between the academic and professional communities is the only way to bridge the gap between theoretical and applied knowledge. This is especially true in a multidisciplinary field like cultural heritage multimedia where there is no consensus about the ideal path to professional qualification. Museum professionals, your future colleagues need your help. How can educators ensure that graduates will be able to operate creatively and effectively in the professional environment? And how can they support you in pushing our field in challenging and exciting directions? Join us in exploring these important questions.