ABSTRACT This edited transcript documents a dialogue between Rodney Westerlaken, Editor-in-Chief of Research in Hospitality Management, serving as host, and Marco Ten Hoor, Academy Director of the Hotel Management School Leeuwarden. The conversation explores multifaceted dimensions of the hospitality sector, encompassing the changing landscape of education, the influence of research, and the urgent research imperatives arising from contemporary global circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The conversation offers valuable insights into the future trajectory of hospitality education and research, emphasising the pivotal role of synergistic partnerships between academia and industry. Furthermore, it underscores the significance of harnessing emerging technologies as catalysts for innovation in the industry.