Z01 Central Administrative Project

The CRC spokesperson Prof. Bollig, in close collaboration with the co-spokesperson Prof. Klagge, will be the project leader for the central administrative project Z01. He will give general directions concerning work flows and responsibilities, be responsible for the management of part of the funds, and have managerial oversight over the staff employed in the project.
The scientific coordinator of the CRC will oversee the allocation of funds applied for in this project. In collaboration with other members of the CRC, the coordination office will be responsible for the organization of workshops (kick-off, CRC retreats, conferences, summer schools), partner invitations, and related arrangements. Members of the office will act on behalf, or as representatives of, the executive board concerning logistical tasks and communication with service providers. Furthermore, the day-today managerial tasks within the CRC will be handled through the office (i.e. press releases, public relations, etc.). Kick-off workshops and training sessions on methods and data analysis are planned to present the research program and rationale to participating institutions, researchers, and other interested parties. To the CRC‘s own researchers these workshops shall provide an opportunity to present their research plans and discuss them with local counterparts to plan joint exercises and to identify aspects where synergies can be achieved. Next to these, the CRC continues to conduct workshops and retreats to take place among all members, as well as PIs and PhDs respectively to allow for in depth discussions of ongoing research, preliminary results, the joint preparation of publications and conference contributions, etc.

Although both host Universities (Bonn and Cologne) do already have structures in place to allow for the training of early career researchers, the CRC seeks to add to these offers by providing thematically suited workshops and trainings (see also Z04, IRTG). The central project Z01 also has the responsibility to ensure tackling the challenges linked to increasing diversity in academia which include, but are not limited to, gender equality. A key aim of the CRC is to offer equal opportunities in this highly diverse research setting. To do so, (1) the strong patriarchal bias of both social and academic structures characterizing our research contexts in Sub-Saharan Africa will be taken into account. Moreover, (2) while hosting and collaborating with a large number of fellow academics from all over the world, it is of great significance for us to form research teams that see diversity as a distinct resource.
(3) Finally, we wish to address the issue of gender equality on a more local level by specifically targeting the challenges in our German academic setting.

Gender equality and diversity are targets at all stages of academic qualification in the CRC. Existing offers at both universities, such as MeTra or the Cornelia-Harte program, the Argelander program, and offers by graduate schools are complemented by:

Gender Balance and Diversity Funnel: Mentoring, training and coaching for (female) ECRs to support informed decision making and facilitate career development.

Female Career Circle: Peer-exchange on the compatibility of life and career planning across disciplines and status groups.

Young Parents Travel Support (field+CRC): ECRs with children balancing career and personal life are supported at home and in the field.

Childcare: Support during fieldwork and CRC events.

Sensitisation and Diversity Workshops: Rais awareness on positionality and power structures to allow gender- and diversity-sensitive research.

Reliable and lively partnerships continue to be essential for the planned programme and cooperative research activities. Z01 will facilitate guest communications and travel in line with the CRC‘s research agenda.

Z01 will continue to organize kick-off workshops, survey meetings, and meetings that foster interdisciplinarity, coherence and workflows within and between projects and regional groups.

1. Organization of regular trainings and workshops for ECRs on topics related to future-making in rural Africa

2. Annual project retreats

3. Regular Jour Fixe meetings

4. CRC Public Lecture Series