A Scottish Sunday title has launched a project to help train investigative journalists from Malawi.

Scotland on Sunday has started the scheme which will see two journalists from the African country spend a month in Scotland receiving training at the paper and at Strathclyde University’s investigative journalism department.

The project has been started to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of missionary and explorer David Livingstone, who played a major role in ending the slave trade in the country.

Also involved in the scheme, which it is hoped will be repeated in future, is the Scottish Government which is paying for the costs involved.

Under the project, the first two Livingstone Journalism Scholars will undergo a rigorous selection process before arriving in Scotland in September.

They will then attend introductory classes on the university’s Masters in Investigative Journalism course and take part in workplace learning at the offices of Scotland on Sunday, while also spending time with political journalists at the Scottish Parliament.

In an article about the project, deputy editor Kenny Farquharson said: “We are delighted this SoS initiative is bearing fruit thanks to the enthusiastic support of the Scottish Government and the University of Strathclyde.

“Investigative journalism has an important role to play in nourishing democracy in every country of the world, here as much as in Africa.

“We look forward to welcoming the first Livingstone Journalism Scholars to our newsroom later this year, and we hope they will be the first of many.”

Dr Eamonn O’Neill, programme director of the university’s MSc in Investigative Journalism course, added: “Journalists from across the African continent have faced difficult challenges in the past in undertaking investigative journalism, yet even under these constraints, have produced some remarkable and courageous work.

“Through this new programme we believe that we can work with Malawian journalists keen on carrying out investigative journalism in their own country and throughout that area.”

Strathclyde University was previously known as Anderson’s College, where Livingstone studied as a young man before embarking for Africa.

Scotland and Malawi signed a Co-operation Agreement in 2005 because of their historical ties, which covers civic governance and other areas of mutual interest.