News

Cluster Activities Cancelled until 20 April 2020

The Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence has issued a statement regarding the latest developments concerning the Corona virus and the implications for the Cluster’s upcoming planned events.

The latest developments in the global Covid-19 crisis have made it clear that research activities and academic programming in the Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence will be faced with serious disruptions for quite some time.

The University of Bayreuth has canceled all teaching until the 20th of April. These are precautionary measures, however, many African universities will take similar steps or have already done so.

International travel will be difficult in the months to come. It is not clear whether the summer semester in Bayreuth can be held as scheduled (late April to late July). It is unlikely that we can convene workshops or large academic gatherings in Bayreuth or elsewhere in the next two months, and possibly longer. Some if not most of our plans for the classroom activities in the summer semester are likely to become obsolete. 

The first and foremost priority is for everyone to stay safe and healthy. This priority will guide all measures we take in the cluster as the crisis unfolds. Cluster-funded workshops or academic events already scheduled within the next two months should be canceled or rescheduled. Those who have plans for such events later in the summer semester need to look into options of postponing them to a later date.

Of course, the current crisis will have repercussions for the cluster as a whole, including the fellow program and the ACCs. The Management Board will continue to monitor the situation and take the necessary steps, including consulting with the DFG as our funding agency and government declarations.

We will try to reschedule all events and activities for a later time this year. 

We are sorry for any inconvenience this may be causing. We will evaluate the situation in April, together with the University authorities and hope to take up normal business after April 20, 2020. 

We will keep you informed!