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On 30 October 2025 the Bavarian government held a reception in Munich honouring Bayreuth’s Cluster of Excellence as part of a historic success in Germany’s Excellence Strategy.

The Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence at the University of Bayreuth has been recognised among Bavaria’s leading research initiatives, following the state’s unprecedented success in the German Excellence Strategy. All twelve Bavarian clusters that applied to the programme were successful - a record-breaking achievement that underscores Bavaria’s growing strength in science and innovation.

At a ceremony hosted in the Bavarian State Chancellery in Munich, Minister of Science and the Arts Markus Blume and Minister of State Florian Herrmann extended their congratulations to representatives of the successful Clusters. The Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence was represented by Managing Director Dr. Franz Kogelmann, Vice Dean of Research Prof. Dr. Eva Spies, Vice Dean of Early Career Prof. Dr. Susanne Mühleisen as well as the Cluster’s Principal Investigators Dr. Eric Anchimbe, Prof. Dr. Jana Hönke and Prof. Dr. Clarissa Vierke.

Representing the University of Bayreuth were President Dr. Stefan Leible and Vice President for Internationalization, Gender Equality & Diversity Prof. Dr. Nina Nestler, who joined the celebration marking what the ministers called a “historic success” for Bavarian higher education. Minister Blume emphasised that this achievement “proves that long-term commitment pays off,” noting that Bavaria’s strong showing reflects years of strategic investment in cutting-edge research and academic excellence.

A new phase for African Studies and  research cooperation across continents

The success in the Excellence Strategy not only secures further support for the Cluster’s innovative agenda but also enhances its global visibility. It strengthens Bayreuth’s reputation as a hub for transformative research that engages critically with Africa’s diverse realities and global entanglements.

For the University of Bayreuth, and particularly for the Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence with its five locations in Bayreuth, Makhanda, Eldoret, Lagos and Ouagadougou, this recognition reinforces a leading role in African Studies worldwide. It affirms the Cluster’s vision to generate new knowledge about Africa’s dynamic presence in the world - from cultural creativity and social transformations to political, linguistic and economic innovations. Africa Multiple 2.0 will continue its endeavour to reconfigure African Studies by a systematic reflection on its epistemological foundations and by studying current global challenges and concomitant power dynamics, relationalities, and agencies as they pertain to Africa and the multiple worlds Africa co-constitutes.As the Cluster enters its second funding phase, it will take cooperation between the five research centres to a whole new level, continue to expand its networks across disciplines and continents, and deepen its support for early-career scholars.

The University of Bayreuth and the Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence express their gratitude to the Bavarian State Government for its continued support of research and innovation. Together, they look ahead to strengthening excellence, fostering collaboration, and shaping the future of global scholarship from Bayreuth.