The Africa Centre was established in 2009 by the late Dr. Tamar Golan at Ben-Gurion University (BGU) of the Negev in order to remedy the dramatic decline of African Studies in Israel which began in the 1990s. The primary objective of the Centre is to promote and develop multidisciplinary research on Africa. At the same time, the center encourages BGU students (known for their social activism) to move beyond a purely academic perspective and to engage in the political, social and cultural challenges facing the continent. The Africa Centre draws upon BGU’s academic and social strengths through research, partnerships, volunteering and activism in Israel and in Africa. The Africa Centre seeks to establish and develop deep and lasting ties between BGU researchers and their counterparts in Africa, based on the belief that interpersonal exchange greatly enriches the experiences and capabilities of all concerned.

The Tamar Golan Africa Centre website