Why AIMS?

• Africa desperately needs development. Science and technology are powerful forces for progress in global society and the global economy. If Africa is to benefit fully from these forces it must build a strong indigenous capacity in both.
• Africa's greatest resource is its people. There can be no more effective investment in Africa's future than in education, empowering talented young people to contribute to their countries' development.
• Mathematics underpins most of modern life - information and communication technology, genetics, medicine, finance, demographics and planning. Without mathematical training Africans will be unable to access the full power of new technologies to solve their countries' problems.
• In South Africa - one of the most developed African nations - only 3 upper level secondary school maths and science teachers were graduated in the year 2000.
• Through its graduate programme and public outreach activities, AIMS will act as a beacon, influencing choices at school and university level and drawing bright young Africans into mathematical and scientific careers.

Institute

The AIMS Institute is located in a campus developed in 2003 at Muizenberg, a small seaside suburb of Cape Town and an area of outstanding natural beauty. The site is only half an hour away from the three local Universities, from the centre of Cape Town or from Cape Town international airport.

AIMS is a self-contained residential centre with excellent computer, library and lecturing facilities, housed in the double-towered building on the left of the picture, Lecturers and students all live and dine in the building, allowing for maximal contact time in an informal and collegiate setting.

In its first year of operations, AIMS recruited 30 African students, building to 45 students in the second year and aiming for 50 students in the third year. We strongly encourage applications from mature students including University lecturers seeking to upgrade their skills enabling them to be more effective teachers and researchers.

By being located in Africa, and by teaching excellent courses which feed into African educational and research initiatives, the institute seeks to build a culture of commitment to Africa. The brain drain from Africa is a major problem for the continent. By working to enhance the educational and research environment in Africa, AIMS is helping to counter this trend. An additional benefit of being sited in Africa is that running costs are approximately one quarter of what they would be in Western Europe or the US.

In addition to African students AIMS is recruiting a contingent of non-African students for whom the AIMS course will also provide an outstanding education. Science and mathematics are global activities linking all of humanity. Like the AIMS lecturers, students will come from all over the globe, giving the Institute a truly international culture and outlook.

Future

• AIMS will work to ensure that more and more African students benefit from excellent mathematical and scientific education.
• AIMS will encourage its alumni to remain in contact, in order to collaboratively employ their skills, knowledge and contacts to advance education and development across the continent.
• AIMS will develop a network of partner institutes across Africa, encouraging African researchers to teach at AIMS and recruit students onto their research projects. AIMS will strongly encourage outstanding international scientists lecturing at AIMS to visit other African educational and research centres.
• AIMS is seeking funding to launch a Schools Enrichment Centre (AIMSSEC) which will be located in the Muizenberg facility. This project is being headed by Toni Beardon, founder of the NRICH project for web-based mathematics. The goal is to support schoolteachers by providing web-based and paper materials to assist mathematics and science learning. There will also be in-service courses for teachers held during the months when the Diploma course is in recess (June, July and August). The AIMSSEC website is now hosted here.
  
• In the longer term, AIMS will seek to develop a program of postdoctoral research and long term academic visitors.