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Years of planning have finally been rewarded; on Monday October 30, theÌýÌýwas declared open by University of Bergen (UiB) RectorÌýDag Rune Olsen.Ìý

– A proud day both for the university and everyone involved, said Olsen,Ìýwhile cutting the ceremonial ribbon, flanked by Centre DirectorÌýChristopher HenshilwoodÌýand Vice DirectorÌýEystein Jansen.

Excellent team

SapienCE is now officially a Centre of Excellence (CoE), aÌý,Ìýwhich organizes the activities of Norway’s foremost scientific environments in centres to achieve ambitious scientific objectives through collaboration and long-term basic funding.

– The application was special because it was so innovativeÌýand the proposed director so excellent in himself, said RCN Higher Executive OfficerÌý. She handed over the official CoE plaque to Professor Henshilwood at the opening, which was held in the newly renovatedÌýoffices ofÌýSapienCE at theÌýDepartment of History, Archaeology, Cultural and Religious studies (AHKR), which serves as the host department for the centre.

Dean of theÌýFaculty of HumanitiesÌý(the host faculty for SapienCE),ÌýJørgen Magnus Sejersted, also spoke at the opening.

– I wouldÌýlike to express my personal admirationÌýfor the project, and the excellent team which Professor Henshilwood has put together.

Like a rollercoaster

Christopher Henshilwood, Professor of archaeology at UiBÌýand now Centre Director, was introduced by Department headÌýJan HeiretÌýasÌý«the man with the ground-breaking ideas».

– I want to thank everyone who hasÌýhelpedÌýus get here. On this day, I think back to 2015, when the idea of applying to become a CoE was first suggested to me by Professor Heiret. The time since has been like rollercoaster ride, an incredible journey, but we're finally here, and the work can begin, Henshilwood told the crowd, before adding:

– We've had tremendous support from everybody to get to this stage. This is a truly interdisciplinary project, and we've been able to put together a diverse and excellent group of people whoÌýare now ready to workÌýtowards this common goal.Ìý

The aimÌýof SapienCE is to consolidate UiB and Norway's position as a world leader in early human origins research. Collaborators include researchers fromÌý,ÌýÌý²¹²Ô»åÌý, who along with researchers from UiB willÌýintroduce ground-breaking and innovative interdisciplinary approaches to extracting, analyzing and understanding the processes that shaped the behaviour and cognition of early HomoÌýsapiens.

At Monday’s opening, the seven different research questions which make up the proposed 10 year-project, were laid out by Henshilwood, Jansen, andÌýAndrea Bender,Ìýone of sixÌýPrincipal investigators (PIs)Ìýin the project.

– The starting point is simple, Henwhilwood said. We all come from Africa. I'm certain that when we meet again in both 5 years, and 10, we will have a completely new understanding of early human behaviour.Ìý