When Zomba Theological College became Zomba Theological University two years ago, it aimed to be more than just a change to a fancy name. Now it began to build on its many years of experience in undergraduate teaching to introduce postgraduate studies. And it sought to raise its game as a research-active institution.
A key plank in expressing the latter aspiration has been a fortnightly research seminar at which faculty members and visiting scholars present their research findings. Now entering its fifth year, the seminar has built up a community of scholarship with local members joined by online participants, seasoned scholars joined by younger contributors cutting their teeth.
Recognising the close relationship between research and publication, one tradition that has evolved is to start the seminar series each semester with a book launch. This week we were able to launch not a single book but an entire series – the Luviri Occasional Papers.
Luviri Press is an innovative publisher, based in the north of Malawi and run by my long-term colleague and collaborator Klaus Fiedler. Originally from Germany but long settled in Malawi, there seems to be no end to the fresh publishing ideas that Klaus comes up with.
The latest is an attempt to identify seminal articles, some previously published but no longer readily available and others newly written, and to publish them in booklet form. I am delighted that two of my own papers have had this treatment to find a place among the first five in the series. I hope they will be joined by many more as the series develops.
Thinking Mission Blog 
More excellent initiatives, thank you! I look forward to reading about the early missionary work in Tanzania where I spent my gap year with an Anglican mission well over 50 years ago!
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