In November 2022, the newly elected board of DIMAS, Prof. Dr. Anna Steigemann and Prof. Dr. Rike Krämer-Hoppe, met with the President of the University of Regensburg, Prof. Dr. Udo Hebel, together with members of the CITAS Board and the manager of CITAS, and now DIMAS, to outline the transition from an area studies Center (CITAS) into a new Department (DIMAS) structure.