Background of the Scientific Coordination Office Bavaria-Africa

The Bavarian state government wants to intensify cooperation between Bavaria and African countries. To this end, on 15 April 2019, minister-president Dr. Markus Söder opened the Bavarian Office for Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where the African Union has its headquarters. The office is the point of contact for cooperation between stakeholders in Bavaria and in the 55 countries of the African Union.

As part of its Africa strategy, the Bavarian state government has been funding the Scientific Coordination Office (WKS) Bavaria-Africa since July 2020, which was implemented in the Bavarian Research Alliance.  The WKS Bavaria-Africa aims to expand networks and cooperation in science, research and innovation between stakeholders in Bavaria and African countries. The “Bavarian Africa Package” addresses Ethiopia, Tunisia, Senegal and South Africa as priority countries. Kenya has been identified as an additional focus country as part of the 2023 coalition agreement. In addition, the WKS Bavaria-Africa cooperates with stakeholders in many other African countries.

Thanks to funding from the Bavarian State Chancellery and the Bavarian Ministry of Science and the Arts, the services offered by WKS Bavaria-Africa are free of charge for members of institutions in Bavaria and those who cooperate with them. In this way, WKS Bavaria-Africa supports the European Union's goal of intensifying cooperation with Africa, as formulated, for example, in the AU-EU Innovation Agenda and the European Green Deal.

Services of the Scientific Coordination Office Bavaria-Africa

• Information

The WKS Bavaria-Africa provides information via social media and a quarterly newsletter on current calls for proposals for national and EU funding in research and innovation. An interactive stakeholder map provides insights into ongoing and completed research projects with Bavarian and African participation. Targeted Excellence Labs and training sessions provide knowledge about calls for proposals, the rules for participating in EU programs such as Horizon Europe and Erasmus+, and the administrative project management of international research projects.

• Networking

Through various event formats, such as the organization of cooperation lounges and participation in conferences and trade fairs, the WKS Bavaria-Africa connects different stakeholders and expands the existing networks between Bavaria, Europe and Africa. Through mobility grants, such as BayIntAn, the Bavarian Research Alliance supports the initiation of international research cooperation. The WKS Bavaria-Africa further co-organizes delegation trips to Bavaria and African countries for a personal exchange in the field of research and innovation.

• Advice and support

The WKS Bavaria-Africa advises employees of universities and universities of applied sciences, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), public institutions and civil society organizations on suitable funding programmes in the field of research and innovation. Researchers and project managers from all disciplines who are seeking cooperation between Bavarian and African institutions can contact the WKS Bavaria-Africa for individual advice on suitable funding options for their project idea. The WKS Bavaria-Africa supports them in the application process. The focus lies on obtaining European funding, such as Horizon Europe and Erasmus+. Applications for other funding sources are also actively supported, e.g. national programs or foundation calls for the realization of cooperation between Bavarian and African partners.