AIMS African Institute for Mathematical Sciences

For Science in AfricaBuilding a Bright Future

www.aims.ac.zaPresentation to the Science and Technology Portfolio Committee 25 th November 2003

AIMS Maths and Science

• Underpin global society • Essential to development

• Provide a common language

• Will set the parameters of our future

AIMS Why Now?

• The New South Africa and NEPAD

• Tremendous demand across Africa

• Global goodwill and interest in the science community espec. diaspora

• Internet and free software

- A Window of Opportunity

AIMS A Beacon

• An African Institute for Mathematical Sciences

Founding principles: - Cost Effective - High Quality - Relevant - Innovative• Latest pedagogy – hyper-interactive• Outstanding lecturers

AIMS Supporters

• Nelson Mandela• Ben Ngubane• Rob Adam• Kader Asmal• Mosibudi Mangena• Patricia Whitelock• Sir David King• Prof. David Gross• Prof. James Gates

• Philip W. Anderson (Nobel physics 1977)

• Joseph Taylor (Nobel physics 1997)• Sir Michael Berry• Stephen Hawking • Sir Martin Rees• Sir John Sulston

(Nobel medicine 2002)

AIMS Funders

DST Vodafone

Vodacom PetroSA

Gatsby Seardel

Ford ICSU

CUP SUN

LMS Potter

CCETSA USAID

AIMS

• Stellenbosch• UCT• UWC• Cambridge• Oxford• Orsay• Pan-African, International

involvement

Partners

AIMS AIMS exists!

• First intake: 30 students (85 applied)• 7 women, 9 Muslims, from 14 countries• Will build to 50 by 2005• Students and lecturers live in• Nine-month postgraduate diploma• Special courses in high priority areas – e.g. 23 people for epidemiology next week

AIMSThe future is here ……

AIMS The AIMS Institute

AIMS Future Plans

• Cross-Africa Network

- Internet plus satellite links

- Email, Bulletin Boards

- Software, teaching & research materials

• Visiting Fellowships/Professorships

• International Conferences

• In-Service Teacher Training Courses

AIMSAfrica is getting connected …

AIMS

Thank you