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In December 2024, a delegation of representatives of African Studies at the University of Bayreuth went to Brussels for a networking event that aimed to strengthen international collaboration in research and innovation.

IAS coordinator Dr. Malick Faye, Cluster managing director Dr. Franz Kogelmann and Cluster PI Dr. Eric Anchimbe among others represented the University of Bayreuth in Brussels.

Text: Dr. Franz Kogelmann

The Scientific Coordination Office (WKS) Bavaria-Africa of BayFOR together with the Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the European Union organised the high-level networking event "Cooperation Lounge Africa-Europe: Science meets Politics" on 10 and 11 December 2024 in Brussels.

The aim of the event was to strengthen science diplomacy in the context of African-European cooperation in research and innovation. WKS Bavaria-Africa welcomed representatives from academic and research institutions, the private sector, civil society organisations, foundations, and political entities from both African and European countries to connect and exchange opportunities and challenges of international research cooperation between Bavaria, Europe and Africa. This event provided an ideal platform to interact and connect with a diverse range of stakeholders.

In the evening of 10 December 2024, the high-level networking event took place, during which representatives from politics and stakeholders from research and innovation discussed the science diplomacy for African-European research and innovation cooperation. Besides opportunities for networking, a poster exhibition offered insights into current African-European research projects.

In the morning of the second day of the event, on 11 December 2024, an interactive workshop/World Café invited participants from research institutions, funding agencies and politics to approach the science-policy nexus in a hands-on way. Using practical examples from research and innovation projects with African and European partners, the participants developed recommendations to improve the project cycle of research and innovation projects and to strengthen African-European cooperation.

The University of Bayreuth was represented by Arnim Heinemann, head of the International Office, Malick Faye, academic co-ordinator of the Institute of African Studies (IAS), Eric Anchimbe, associate professor for English Linguistics and principal investigator in the Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence and the Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies (BIGSAS), Mirjam Straßer, co-ordinator of the European Interdisciplinary Master African Studies (EIMAS), and Franz Kogelmann, managing director of Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence, principal investigator in the BIGSAS and dean of EIMAS at the University of Bayreuth.

Straßer and Kogelmann were also in dialogue with representatives from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, the DAAD office in Brussels and the European Commission's European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). They also had the opportunity to meet an EIMAS graduate who is employed by an international cultural organisation in Brussels.