The University of Malta made its debut at the 45th edition of the Malta Book Festival, represented by THINK Magazine, UM Library, and Malta University Press (MUP). The theme for this year’s Malta Book Festival ‘Binding Worlds’ in reference to the multifaceted nature of the publishing process, from idea to the final product. THINK, the UM Library, and MUP united under the collective mission of showcasing the knowledge and innovation of UM's academics and students in line with this theme.

THINK, our official research magazine, spearheaded this effort by disseminating current UM research in its latest publication. This year, UM Library commemorated a decade of open access research (OAR@UM), supporting widespread access to knowledge. Additionally, MUP produced and distributed scholarly publications that embody the essence of exploration, creativity and cultural enrichment within the global literary community.

The collaboration of THINK, the UM Library and MUP on the publication of its first children's chapbook was positively received. Around 70 copies were sold, making this a promising start to Kekko the Kitteen's Great Campus Adventure. The next stage of this project will focus on promoting the chapbook in schools.

THINK had the pleasure of launching Issue 45: Natural Space at its Soapbox Event on 7 November. From an insightful discussion on what algae can do for us to pushing the boundaries of life through cosmic biology, the event proved that the topic of natural space is broader than one thinks! We welcomed key speakers talking on a range of subjects featured in the edition: Prof. Pierre Schembri-Wismayer, Dr Foteini Pavli, Erika Puglisevich, Brian Azzopardi, Massimo Borg, Prof. Joseph Borg and Christine Gatt. With regards to distribution, over 1000 copies of the latest issue were picked up by attendees throughout the Festival.

The UM Library engaged with attendees of the Festival, many of whom were introduced to OAR@UM for the first time and expressed a keen interest in exploring what the Library has to offer the public. The Kollezzjoni Programmi tal-Festa (KPF) drew attention as part of the Library's special collections promotion. Starting with over 70 large boxes of free copies, only a few remained by the end of the festival. These programmes found new homes with festa enthusiasts of all ages, and the public was thrilled to learn about the access available through OAR@UM. This initiative continues to establish OAR not only as UM’s Institutional Repository but also as a national platform for research digitisation.

During the first evening of the Festival, Malta University Press launched its latest publication, Medical Sciences in Early Modern Malta: Giuseppe Demarco on the Use and Abuse of Chocolate in Medicine (1760), edited by Jurgen R. Gatt. Keynote speakers included Prof. Gorg Mallia, Prof. Jean-Paul De Lucca and the Editor himself, Dr Jurgen R. Gatt, who engaged the audience in an insightful and lively discussion. From a sales perspective, this was also a very fruitful year for MUP, who doubled last year's revenue. 

Still reeling from the excitement of the Festival, THINK, the UM Library and MUP have already set their eyes on next year’s Campus Book Festival (March) and Malta Book Festival (November). Don’t forget to follow our social media channels to see updates on our chapbook series and future events!

Follow THINK, the UM Library and MUP on their socials:
THINK: Facebook, Instagram
UM Library: Facebook, Instagram
MUP: Facebook