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The Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence took part in the Africa Day during the University of Bayreuth’s Summer Feeling 2026 programme. Located next to the recently opened Research Centre for Africa (FZA), the event offered an opportunity to present African Studies at Bayreuth and engage with students, staff and visitors through conversations, information activities and an interactive map quiz.

On Friday, Africa Multiple took part in Africa Day, one of the themed events of the University of Bayreuth’s Summer Feeling 2026 programme. Despite the high summer temperatures, the event attracted many visitors and provided an excellent opportunity to engage with members of the university community and the wider public.

Held in the immediate vicinity of the Research Centre for Africa (Forschungszentrum Afrika, FZA), which was officially opened in 2025, the event offered an ideal setting for showcasing African Studies at the University of Bayreuth. Together with representiatives for afriZert and the Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies (BIGSAS), as well as the team from Model African Union Bayreuth (MAU), the Cluster presented its research and activities and offered visitors the opportunity to learn more about its work and its international network of partners. Africa Day also provided a valuable platform to learn about UBT's Institute of African Studies and its affiliated institutions, foremost among them the Africa Multipl Cluster of Excellence, by presenting themselves to interested students, staff members and visitors from across the university community.

Throughout the afternoon, numerous guests stopped by the information stand to ask questions, exchange ideas and gain insights into current research on and with Africa at the University of Bayreuth. A particular highlight was an interactive map quiz that invited visitors to locate countries on the African continent. Designed as an accessible and engaging activity, the quiz sparked conversations about geography, diversity and knowledge production, while also encouraging participants to reflect on their own perceptions and understanding of Africa. Visitors of all ages enthusiastically took part, creating a lively atmosphere around the stand throughout the event.

Africa Day provided a valuable platform for presenting the Cluster’s work and agenda to a broader audience and for engaging in conversations beyond academic settings. The strong interest in the Cluster’s activities and the many stimulating exchanges throughout the afternoon demonstrated the importance of such opportunities for dialogue between research and society. The event was part of the University of Bayreuth’s Summer Feeling 2026 programme, a bi-annual event that brings together members of the university and the wider public through a diverse range of activities and events.