News

The Bavarian State Minister for Science and the Arts, Bernd Sibler, has given the go-ahead for the development of the new “afriZert” programme of study by officially presenting the funding decision to University President Prof. Dr. Stefan Leible. Now the conceptualisation, development, and establishment of the subject-related “Africa-focused Certifcate Programme of Study” (“afriZert”) at the UBT’s Institute for African Studies (IAS) can begin.

“We – as a university with many years of experience and great expertise in the field of African studies – wish to familiarise students with Africa as a field of discourse, lifeworlds, and political space in all its global interconnections, and at the same time provide them with application-oriented reflection, transfer, and implementation skills”, says University President Prof. Dr. Stefan Leible, explaining the idea behind “afriZert”. Bernd Sibler, the Bavarian Minister of Science, welcomes this: “With the new ‘AfriZert’ certificate programme, we hope to open the door to the African continent for young people and strengthen intercultural exchange.” In summary, Prof. Dr. Cyrus Samimi, spokesperson of IAS, says: “’afriZert’ represents an innovative educational initiative and is intended to be an impetus for integrating Africa-related knowledge and skills, as cross-sectional competencies, in a highly networked global community.”

(Excerpt of the UBT press release: https://www.uni-bayreuth.de/en/university/press/press-releases/2021/090-certificate-programme-afriZert/index.html )