Africa as a guest in Bayreuth

African studies are a key focus of research in Bayreuth: in terms of the number of professorships and third-party funding, the University of Bayreuth has the greatest expertise in Africa in Europe. It also cooperates with 68 institutions of higher education in 26 countries on the African continent. University President Prof. Dr. Stefan Leible and Vice President for Internationalization, Equal Opportunities and Diversity Prof. Dr. Nina Nestler explained this international orientation to the ambassadors in their welcoming address.

Prof. Dr. Stefan Ouma, Deputy Speaker of the Institute of African Studies (IAS), presented the umbrella of African research at the University of Bayreuth with around 100 members and over 40 professors. The Cluster of Excellence “Africa Multiple: Reconfiguring African Studies” as a center of African studies in Germany was presented by its spokesperson Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Seesemann. The Faculty of Life Sciences: Food, Nutrition and Health also has a connection to Africa with its “Global Food, Nutrition and Health” course. This was explained by Prof. Dr. Janin Henkel-Oberländer, Dean of Faculty VII, Kulmbach Campus. She also presented current research projects with a connection to Africa.

The ambassadors then visited the new “Africa Research Centre” on the Bayreuth campus, which will be inaugurated next year, guided by University Chancellor Dr. Nicole Kaiser. The visit was rounded off with a tour of the Iwalewahaus. This is where the University of Bayreuth houses Europe's largest public collection of contemporary African art.

The University of Bayreuth welcomed ambassadors from Angola, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Liberia, Niger, Zimbabwe and Uganda.