Remembering Research Realities: Celebrating the Research Master’s African Studies, Leiden University – book launch event

As many will know by now, nationwide budget cuts in higher education will lead to the termination of the two-year Research Master’s programme African Studies in 2027. This September marks the start of the final cohort of the Research Master’s African Studies at Leiden University. This flagship study programme has been offered by the ASCL at Leiden University for twenty years.

To protest its discontinuation and simultaneously celebrate its diversity and intellectual strength, a team of alumni joined forces and produced the edited volume Remembering Research Realities: Celebrating the Research Master's African Studies, Leiden University, which showcases research master theses that have been written over the years. It also contains a postscript by Prof. Lungisile Ntsebeza (University of Cape Town), who holds an Honorary Doctorate from Leiden University.

Celebrating and commemorating the Research Master’s, the book will be handed to the Deans of the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Law Faculties of Leiden University on Thursday 11 September in the Herta Mohr Building. You are more than welcome to join us for this event, in person or online. Do make sure to register below and keep an eye on the ASCL website: a ‘Remembering’ blog will be launched on 11 September as well, where you can post your own message and share Research Master’s memories.