Africa Research Centre, University of Pécs

Afrika Kutatóközpont

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Africa has gained in importance in the 21st century in economic, political, and social terms, and above all in terms of foreign policy and foreign trade. In contrast to the largely stereotypical image conveyed thus far (primarily by the global media), the continent offers numerous opportunities for its partners (the European Union’s Africa Strategy, among others, also focuses on partnership). Of course, the reality is that migration from the continent to Europe—and thus to Hungary as well—presents us with unprecedented challenges. By their very nature, these challenges, on the one hand, rule out a solution offered by a single state; that is, close cooperation between states and other types of actors is necessary—across social, health, cultural, as well as economic and political spheres— and, on the other hand, can only be successful if it facilitates coordination and cooperation among different scientific fields and disciplines.

From a professional standpoint, the Research Center’s goal is to foster research potential in our country and, in parallel with the development of this potential, to provide professional training capable of producing individuals who understand and are familiar with Africa’s problems as well as its opportunities—in short, the realities of Africa as a whole. In this way, they can enrich the body of Hungarian scholarly achievements in this field as well. The Center has made the most significant contribution to this effort in recent years. Looking ahead, it is capable of establishing and coordinating a future master’s program in African Studies.

Understanding contemporary Africa and its political and economic conditions and transformations requires multifaceted, interdisciplinary knowledge and expertise in the social sciences (including both interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary knowledge). With this in mind, the Research Center involves all PTE staff members and educational and research units dealing with Africa in this work.

The Center plays a significant role in Hungarian higher education, as it is the first research center of its kind. It has also made a major contribution to the Department of International Relations at the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Pécs in recent years through courses, lectures, and conferences.

Since 2010, the AKK has organized a prestigious international conference on African Studies in Pécs every two years. This event is, in fact, both a showcase and a celebration of Hungarian African Studies. The journal *Afrika Tanulmányok* (African Studies), edited in Pécs, is now a Category C journal of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA) and is currently in its 11th volume. Members of the Research Center conduct ongoing field research in Tanzania, Rwanda, and Kenya. The Research Center has also contributed to the establishment of Erasmus+ international credit mobility partnerships with Ethiopia, Botswana, and Kenya. Finally, it played an active role in the formation of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA) Africa Subcommittee, established in 2016—the head of the AKK serves as the subcommittee’s secretary.
 

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http://www.africa.pte.hu/

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https://istvantarrosy.academia.edu https://vm.mtmt.hu/www/index.php?AuthorID=10012644 https://doktori.hu/index.php?menuid=500&lang=HU

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Dr. István Tarrósy
Dr. Gertrud Szamosi (teaches one class in certain courses)
Dr. Attila T. Horváth (teaches a Swahili course annually or every year and a half as an adjunct professor)

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Bagi Judit
Dömös Marianna
Linda Ouma

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The Research Center has a significant and extensive network of international contacts both in Central and Eastern Europe and globally. It maintains active relationships with all members of the Hungarian African studies community, as well as with researchers, departments, institutes, and civil society organizations in the United States, China, numerous African countries, Russia, and several EU member states.

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Every year, numerous students choose an African topic for their thesis in both the Hungarian- and English-language international relations programs. Year after year, more students choose an African topic for their PhD research.