Teaching and research in French universities on African history and contemporary problems are no longer the sole privilege of Paris. Several provincial universities, including Strasbourg and Bordeaux, have in fact well equipped research centres. Among these newly-developing programmes, special mention must be made of the University of Aix-Marseille. The long-standing connexions of the Marseille region with Africa, especially the Maghreb, have led to the establishment in recent years of a number of institutes and centres dealing with African affairs—first by the University, then by other local bodies in association with it.