Journal of European Baptist Studies, 2017

class degrees in theology through to a highly rated doctoral degree. He is a polymath fluent in several languages and a source of great knowledge. He is currently Rector of St Trivelius Higher Theological Institute in Sofia, Bulgaria. Jones, A ‘Mistake ’ which Became a Triumph 15 Thirdly, Ian and Janice Randall decided to flip the balance of responsibilities and living arrangements, moving to the IBTS campus with Ian commuting to look after his doctoral students in London. He brought with him a wealth of supervision experience and an amazing ability to chivvy on reluctant students to research, write, draft, assemble, and refine their work to a viable timetable. Equipped to engage These three events created a scenario where we could offer to our graduating Master’s students the possibility of entering a doctoral programme to gain the all-important qualification to impress their home governments and Unions. It developed a team work approach which saw the establishment of supervisory teams and the ability to create strategies and documentation to support students with periodic reviews, to develop forward targets and recruit specialist supervisors from across Europe and the USA who understood our vision and were pleased that what Sadler and Nordenhaug could only dream of, could come to pass. It is very easy to underestimate the intellectual rigour, careful construction, and sheer determination which were needed to bring about a way of delivering a doctoral programme, which in due course became a standard by which other validated institutions of the University of Wales were judged. The heart of it became, and, indeed, still is, the doctoral colloquium where supervisors, candidates, advisors, independent academic assessors, and interested guests sat round a large rectangle of tables in the IBTS chapel in Jeneralka and for over a week listened to presentations on progress to date. Each student was first questioned by those in the supervisory team (as the system developed generally three in number: the lead promoter with University responsibility, a generalist supervisor, and a specialist advisor), then the field was thrown open for anyone in the room to ask a question, search for a problematic hole in the reasoning and generally seek to ensure no stone was left unturned in the search for academic excellence. Here tribute must be paid not only to the on-site IBTS team, which had grown with Peter Penner, 32 a missiologist, Ivana Noble, 33 a theologian with deep doctrinal insights, Tim Noble, 34 a missiologist with experience in 32 Peter F. Penner served in two capacities on the IBTS directorate - in Mission and Biblical Studies. A Mennonite by background, he continues to work in Austria in theological education. 33 The Revd Professor Ivana Noble is a Hussite priest who works with IBTS and has supported our theological education for many years. Her contribution to the theological developments at IBT