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The Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence has announced new appointments that further strengthen its commitment to supporting early career researchers and advancing doctoral education in African Studies.

At the most recent General Assembly of the Cluster on 18 June 2026, Prof. Dr Thokozani Kaime was elected as the Cluster’s Vice Dean of Early Career and Equal Opportunity. In accordance with the regulations of the Cluster and the Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies (BIGSAS), the Vice Dean simultaneously serves as Head of BIGSAS, reinforcing the close institutional links between the Cluster and its internationally recognised graduate school.

The Early Career & Equal Opportunity portfolio plays a central role within Africa Multiple. It supports doctoral researchers, postdoctoral fellows and junior research group leaders across all Africa Multiple Research Centres by combining research training, career development, mentoring, mobility opportunities and equal opportunity measures. Closely aligned with the principles of good academic practice, the portfolio promotes academic citizenship, international networking and individual career development in close cooperation with BIGSAS and the Cluster's African partner institutions.

Professor Kaime holds the Chair of African Legal Studies at the University of Bayreuth and is a Principal Investigator in the Africa Multiple Cluster. His research focuses on African legal studies, human rights, sustainable development and the governance of natural resources. Before joining the University of Bayreuth, he held academic positions at SOAS University of London and the University of Essex and has extensive experience in international legal scholarship and research collaboration.

A few weeks ago, the BIGSAS leadership team has also been strengthened through the appointment of Prof. Dr Serawit Bekele Debele as Deputy Head of BIGSAS. Professor Debele, a former graduate of BIGSAS herself, holds the Professorship for Gender, Sexuality and Religion with a Focus on Africa at the University of Bayreuth and is a member of the Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence. Her research examines the intersections of religion, gender, sexuality, politics and society in African contexts, contributing important perspectives to debates on social justice, diversity and inclusion.

Together, the appointments of Professor Kaime and Professor Debele mark an important step in further developing the Cluster's support structures for early career researchers and strengthening BIGSAS as an internationally recognised centre for doctoral education in African Studies. By closely linking research excellence, graduate training and equal opportunities, the Cluster continues to foster an inclusive and collaborative environment for the next generation of scholars.