Welcome to BIGSAS

The Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies (BIGSAS) is rooted on an almost 50-year old tradition of intensive and excellent research on Africa at the University of Bayreuth. Founded in 2006/2007 as part of the Excellence Initiative of the German Federal and State Governments, today BIGSAS is part of the Cluster of Excellence EXC 2052 – "Africa Multiple: reconfiguring African Studies"

The graduate school itself is an innovative centre for doctoral training and interdisciplinary research at the University of Bayreuth. The aim of the graduate school is to bring together outstanding African and non-African academics for joint research in the field of African Studies while providing them with subject-specific academic training. As such, BIGSAS explicitly thrives on interdisciplinary and intercultural exchange. In cooperation with five faculties and 37 professors from over 30 departments and disciplines, 199 doctoral students (Junior Fellows) from all over the world have successfully completed their doctorates in the field of African Studies at BIGSAS to date (01/2025).
BIGSAS brings together excellent junior scholars in a structured and innovative doctoral programme. The doctoral training is based on research in a vital interdisciplinary environment with group mentorships, individual research training plans, specialist training (focusing on academic as well as transferable skills), early integration into the international academic community, and individual career planning.
In the focus of this unique structure of creative and innovative training are around 90 doctoral candidates, the Junior Fellows , from more than 30 African, American, Asian and European countries.