
New Academic Coordinator of IAS and BRIAS-Coordinator
In May 2020, the Executive Board of the Institute of African Studies (IAS) appointed Dr. Ron Herrmann as its new Academic Coordinator. In addition, he was appointed as coordinator of the Bavarian Research Institute for African Studies (BRIAS).
With an M.A. in International Relations and a European M.A. in Human
Rights and Democratization, his academic work focuses on conflict
analysis and transformation, peace-building, democratic governance, and
sustainable development.
During his professional career as an academic, lecturer, and senior consultant in applied political science, Herrmann coordinated the establishment of the European Inter-European Center in Venice, the curricula , personnel development, and research orientation of the European Peace University, the UN Staff College in Turin, and the University for Peace in Costa Rica. In addition, he worked in the foreign service of the Federal Foreign Office, as a senior manager for organisations such as the EU, UNDP, UNDPKO, IOM, Interpeace, and Médicin Sans Frontières.
Herrmann acquired his specific African expertise in Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, as well as in Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan (incl. Darfur). In this capacity, he has also taught for many years at the Austrian Study Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution (ASPR), but also at Tongji University, the American University of Beirut, and the University of Khartoum.
