UNILAG, University of Bayreuth Strengthen Partnership as Africa Multiple Research Centre Secures Seven-Year Grant Extension

The University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Thursday, October 16, 2025, played host to a high-level delegation from the University of Bayreuth, Germany, in a visit that marked a new chapter in their long-standing research partnership.

The visit followed the successful seven-year grant renewal by the German Research Foundation (DFG) for the Africa Multiple Research Centre (AMRC) — formerly known as the Lagos African Cluster Centre (LACC) — under the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies (IADS), UNILAG.

The Bayreuth delegation was led by Professor Nina Nestler, Vice President for Internationalisation, Gender Equality & Diversity, and included Professor Ute Fendler, Spokesperson of the Cluster and Vice Dean for Internationalisation and Public Engagement; Dr. Franz Kogelmann, in charge of institutional administration; and Mr. Robert Debusmann, Head of the Central Research Support Service.

They were received by the Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Professor Folasade T. Ogunsola, OON, FAS, at the Senate House, Akoka, alongside Professor Muyiwa Falaiye, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Services) and immediate past Director of IADS, as well as Professor Ayo Yusuf, the current Director of Research.

The event also marked a symbolic transition as Professor Falaiye announced his decision to step back from his leadership role at the AMRC, reflecting on the growth of the partnership and the successful implementation of AMRC 1.0, which is now transitioning to AMRC 2.0.

Falaiye described the collaboration as “a strategic alliance that has significantly advanced capacity building, academic exchange, and research innovation in African Studies.” He credited the success of initiatives such as the Cohort Programme and reaffirmed his confidence in the team leading the next phase.

In her remarks, Professor Ogunsola praised the UNILAG-Bayreuth partnership, emphasizing its pivotal role in fostering world-class research, institutional growth, and academic mobility since its inception in 2019. She urged both institutions to sustain their collaborative momentum and explore new frontiers of innovation.

Speaking on behalf of the visiting team, Professor Nestler commended UNILAG’s institutional leadership and reaffirmed Bayreuth’s commitment to the partnership. She described the collaboration as “a model for rethinking African Studies,” adding that the next phase would focus on joint research ventures, knowledge exchange, and resource-sharing to deepen global impact.

The UNILAG-Bayreuth partnership is part of the Reconfiguring African Studies project, which brings together four African institutions — UNILAG (Nigeria), Rhodes University (South Africa), Moi University (Kenya), and Joseph Ki-Zerbo University (Burkina Faso) — as key nodes in advancing innovative and decolonised scholarship.

The first phase of the project, launched in 2019, laid the foundation for a sustainable African-led research ecosystem. With the renewed DFG grant, AMRC 2.0 aims to further expand the global influence of African scholarship and position the continent as a thought leader in interdisciplinary research.

Both universities reaffirmed their shared vision of transforming African research into a globally recognized model of academic excellence and collaborative innovation.