The Cluster of Excellence "Africa Multiple" at the University of Bayreuth has secured renewed funding

Since its establishment in 2019, the Bayreuth Cluster of Excellence has been dedicated to reshaping African research through collaborative efforts with African researchers, adopting an interdisciplinary and globally networked approach. In close collaboration with four partner universities across the African continent, the University of Bayreuth has focused on themes such as 'art and aesthetics,' 'knowledge,' 'mobilities,' 'regional integration,' 'moralities,' and 'learning,' aiming to pioneer innovative forms of knowledge production in African studies. This collaboration has established entirely new benchmarks for cooperation in recent years.

In its second funding phase set to commence in January 2026, 'Africa Multiple,' will further intensify this academic collaboration, aiming to elevate the reorganization of African studies to new heights. The forthcoming thematic areas ‘Digitalities,' 'Ecologies,' 'Accumulation,' 'Insecurities,' 'Remembering,' and 'Translating’ have been collectively developed by researchers across the five cluster locations. Targeted initiatives will enhance interdisciplinarity, promote gender equality and diversity in research, and improve joint research data management. The establishment of joint platforms to support early-career scholars and facilitate mobility between locations seeks to build sustainable structures enduring beyond the funding period. As a result, the cluster will play an even more pivotal role in shaping the University of Bayreuth's internationalization strategy and driving its continued advancement. Consequently, African Studies at the University of Bayreuth is solidifying its position as a hub for innovative academic dialogue and further cementing its place on the academic landscape.

To foster nuanced, multi-perspective understandings of Africa, the Cluster of Excellence continues its partnership with four African universities, established in 2019: The University of Lagos (Nigeria), Moi University (Eldoret, Kenya), Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo (Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso), and Rhodes University (Makhanda, South Africa). These institutions are far more than mere local branches; rather, scholars from diverse locations will collaborate closely as Africa Multiple Research Centres (AMRCs) in all forthcoming research projects undertaken by the Cluster. Together, they will engage in reflective research, collectively gather and analyse data, and collaboratively train a new generation of young researchers, thereby unlocking new insights into the diversity of Africa and its diasporas.

Funding Phase I:
The research findings on the topics of "art and aesthetics", "knowledge", "mobilities", "regional integration", "moralities" and "learning" have been disseminated through numerous publications. Additionally, 15 international conferences and over 600 scientific events were organised, with approximately 200 of these taking place at the African locations. These events engaged both academic audiences and non-academic stakeholders, ensuring scientific communication within the regions and beyond university boundaries. In Bayreuth, activities extended to schools, aiming to critically reflect on perceptions of Africa and address related topics such as "social diversity" and "anti-discrimination." This initiative led to the development of teaching materials for Year 10 students in Bavarian schools. Furthermore, collaboration with artists played a pivotal role in advancing transdisciplinary research methods in African studies.

Funding Phase II:
The implementation of the cluster's new research agenda, Bayreuth's Africa Research, will commence on 1 January 2026. Prior to this, in early 2025, the previously dispersed research activities in Bayreuth were consolidated at the new Research Centre Africa (FZA) on campus. The physical proximity of researchers in this state-of-the-art facility will foster synergies and enhance collaboration. In addition to biennial international conferences, the cluster plans to introduce new event formats, alternating specialised scientific gatherings with high-profile events featuring artists, policymakers, and civil society representatives. In the realm of school education, collaboration with teachers will be expanded to present Africa in a more nuanced manner in school curricula—such as through classroom visits by African researchers and artists. The existing PLURA platform for teaching materials will be expanded to include resources in African languages, such as Swahili and Yoruba. Moreover, the cluster will introduce new digital teaching formats, further enhancing its impact on higher education, which is already robust through master's programmes and certificate courses like the Bavaria-wide afriZert programme.

Funding Details:
With a proposal volume of 52 million euros through 2032, the Cluster submitted its renewal application in August 2024 as part of the national Excellence Strategy. The exact funding amount will be announced in the grant notification expected by the end of June 2025.