Topping-out ceremony on the campus

Topping-out ceremony on the campus of the University of Bayreuth: In the presence of high-ranking guests from politics and business, the new "Research Centre Society, Technology, and Ecology in Africa – Challenges in the 21st Century (FZA)" was celebrated on 7 August 2023 as a forward-looking facility for the further interdisciplanary expansion of Bayreuth African Studies.

In her welcoming address, Construction Director Stephanie Kreisel, Head of Structural Engineering at the Bayreuth State Building Authority, looked back on the creation of the new building, which is scheduled for completion by the end of 2024 and is characterized by its special aesthetics and functionality. Spatially open structures encourage interdisciplinary dialogue to advance research in the interlocking fields of society, technology and ecology. The building is "a centre for living together and learning together," Kreisel said. Clustered around the research centre's centrepiece, the conference and event space, are other functional spaces as well as a studio, control room and media lab. "Open Creative Labs" are spread across the first and second floors and also include meeting rooms and telephone booths. The construction costs are borne by the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, which is contributing 11.5 million euros.

The keynote speech was held by Bavaria's Minister of State for European and International Affairs, Melanie Huml. She conveyed greetings from the Minister of Science and the Arts, Markus Blume, and the Minister of Housing, Construction and Transport, Christian Bernreiter, and described the FZA as "a prime example of the ambition and innovative power of science here on site". It makes a groundbreaking contribution to research and creativity in the humanities at the highest level: "The Research Centre for African Studies at the University of Bayreuth creates space for state-of-the-art work and research. The new building is a strong signal for Bayreuth as a university location and for our relations with Africa, a pivotal continent of opportunity. Bayreuth is an excellent university because of its African studies. This centre strengthens Bavaria as the home of universities! That is why the Free State of Bavaria is funding the new building with 27 million euros. A day of joy for Upper Franconia and Bavaria! Many thanks to all who contributed to the construction and continued success!"

In his welcoming address, President Prof. Dr. Stefan Leible thanked in particular the Bayreuth State Building Authority, the construction company W. Markgraf GmbH & Co KG commissioned with the realization of the new building, the architectural firm BAURCONSULT responsible for the exterior design of the new building, as well as the Central Engineering Department of the University of Bayreuth. Leible pointed out that African studies have been one of the university's constant factors since its founding in 1975 and has since developed into an outstanding profile field. The Cluster of Excellence "Africa Multiple", which cooperates closely with four African Cluster Centres in Africa, is now an integral part of the University of Bayreuth - as are the Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies (BIGSAS) and the Bayreuth Academy of Advanced African Studies. Coordination of all Africa-related research and educational activities on the Bayreuth campus, he said, lies with the Institute for African Studies (IAS).

"Just as the University of Bayreuth aspires to be more than a university, the FZA is likewise more than a building. It is a place that represents the outstanding research on Africa in Bavaria and gives it a global appeal,"Leible said. He expressed the hope that it would be possible to anchor African studies in Bavaria in the future in the form of a "Bavarian University Centre for Africa" based in Bayreuth.

Prof. Dr. Cyrus Samimi, spokesperson of the Institute of African Studies, emphasized in his welcoming address: "The new research centre is intended above all to offer junior scholars and visiting scholars a creative meeting and working space that promotes interdisciplinary exchange." In addition to interdisciplinary collaboration, the IAS is strongly characterized by its internationality - due to the close cooperation with partner universities, the BIGSAS with its high proportion of international doctoral students, and the worldwide contacts with BIGSAS alumni, some of whom work in high-ranking positions and continue to be associated with the University of Bayreuth. Outstanding international projects are also the Tanzanian-German Centre for Eastern African Legal Studies (TGCL), which is jointly run by the University of Dar es Salaam and the University of Bayreuth and for which new funding for scholarships is currently being sought, as well as the EU-funded Master's program EIMAS in joint responsibility of the University of Bayreuth, the University of Porto and the University of Bordeaux Montaigne.

Samimi recalled that the concept for the research centre was originally developed at the IAS – with initial considerations involving Prof. Dr. Dymitr Ibriszimow and Prof. Dr. Dieter Neubert. The then provost, Dr. Markus Zanner, and his then advisor, the current provost, Dr. Nicole Kaiser, accompanied and supported the planning from the very beginning. The IAS spokesperson thanked everyone who had been very involved in the speedy realization of the new building and continues to be involved – including Prof. Dr. Eva Spies, deputy spokesperson of the IAS, and Prof. Dr. Matthias Christen, who with his team is responsible for the Medialab, a central component of the digitization strategy at the research centre. From 2025, when the completed new building opens, the IAS will have two prominent locations in Bayreuth: the FZA and the Iwalewahaus, which will also have an exhibition space in the research centre.