Seminar for Grant Proposal Support and the Opening of the FZA in Bayreuth

On 13 May 2025, the Scientific Coordination Office (WKS) Bavaria-Africa offered a seminar on funding opportunities for early career researchers in the social sciences and humanities planning a research project on Africa. Organised in cooperation with the ‘Early Career & Equal Opportunities’ unit at the Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence, the seminar took place in the new research centre for ‘Society, Technology, and Ecology in Africa’ (FZA) at the University of Bayreuth. 

On 13 May 2025, the Scientific Coordination Office (WKS) Bavaria-Africa offered a seminar on funding opportunities for early career researchers in the social sciences and humanities planning a research project on Africa. Organised in cooperation with the ‘Early Career & Equal Opportunities’ unit at the Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence, the seminar took place in the new research centre for ‘Society, Technology, and Ecology in Africa’ (FZA) at the University of Bayreuth. 

More than 20 participants who are in their advanced PhD studies or postdocs attended the session to learn about national funding programmes and foundations, as well as about possibilities of participating in the newly published calls of the Horizon Europe work programme 2025. The WKS Bavaria-Africa at BayFOR provided advice on preparing and writing successful proposals and explained the support services they offer to researchers based at Bavarian universities and in African countries.

The following day, 14 May 2025, the FZA was officially opened during a ceremony with Bavaria's minister of construction Christian Bernreiter and ministerial director Dr. Michael Mihatsch of the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts. The CEO of BayFOR Martin Reichel, and a representative of the WKS Bavaria-Africa participated in this festive opening. Professor Gabriele Sommer, spokesperson for the Institute for African Studies, and Professor Aksosua Adomako Ampofo, spokesperson for the Cluster's Advisory Board spoke about the history and relevance of African Studies at the University of Bayreuth since its foundation in 1975. The open house gave insights into the innovative construction of the building and the vibrant community of interdisciplinary research with Africa. In the evening, the opening of the annual conference of the Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence took place in the FZA, for which guests from various countries in Africa travelled to Bayreuth for a vivid exchange in African studies.