In the IMPDET (International Multidisciplinary PhD Studies in Educational Technology) online study program, students study towards the PhD degree in educational technology. The program brings together international experts in computer science, education, cultural studies, engineering, and other fields in order to prepare future generations of educational technologists to carry out projects that are tailored to a variety of global contexts, however, in a culturally sensitive way. The first IMPDET students started their studies in 2005, and the first courses were run between October 2005 and February 2006. The first experiences indicate the need for student mentoring and an architecture that allows building a real learner community where both supervisors and learners are actively engaged in improving the used learning environments.