Fifty-eight young Africans have graduated from the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) Ghana after successfully completing the 10-month regular MSc in Mathematical Sciences program. The cohort consists of 40 males and 18 females from 16 African countries, including 35 non-Ghanaians and 23 Ghanaians, all of whom earned their master’s degrees on scholarship merit. The degrees were awarded in affiliation with three partner universities in Ghana: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the University of Ghana, and the University of Cape Coast (UCC).

During their studies, the students also developed essential entrepreneurship and personal development skills through teamwork and project presentations. The 12th graduation ceremony, held in a packed auditorium at the University of Ghana, was attended by graduates’ families, foreign dignitaries including representatives of the German Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Amb. Daniel Krull, and the representative of the Sudanese Ambassador to Ghana, as well as several professors from Ghana.

Six graduates were awarded for academic distinction, with Livingstone Agakpe Nyamadi winning the Valedictorian award and Annah Naturinda receiving the “Emmy Noether” Best Graduating Female Student award.

Over the past decade, AIMS Ghana, a UNESCO Category 2 Centre of Excellence, has graduated 531 students from 26 African countries, with 33% being females. In his welcome remarks, Centre President Dr. Prince Koree Osei emphasized the crucial role of African youth in the coming decade and highlighted the institute’s mission to prepare them for global leadership in science.

In his address the AIMS Ghana Centre President, Dr. Prince K. Osei, stated that the AIMS Global Network celebrated 20 years in South Africa and 12 years of the German Researcher Program at AIMS. During this event, a new slogan, “In Africa’s youth, the future of science,” was unveiled, reflecting AIMS’s focus on empowering young Africans to shape the future of science.

Alumni guest speaker, Abigail Annkah, a pioneering Google AI Research Software Engineer based in Ghana, urged the Class of 2024 to embrace every challenge with determination and let their passion for mathematics drive innovation. She encouraged the graduates to use their knowledge to create a brighter, more prosperous Africa as they embark on their new journey.

Sivine Jansen, the representative of the German Ambassador to Ghana, expressed the German government’s commitment to deepening collaboration with AIMS, noting the establishment of two German research chairs to strengthen education and research capabilities.

The valedictorian, Livingstone Agakpe Nyamadi expressed his gratitude for the free scholarships provided by AIMS, emphasizing the transformative impact of the program on the graduates.

Next year, AIMS is expected to recruit at least 60 students for the regular master’s program, with 35 participating in a special cooperative education program featuring a six-month industry extension. Additionally, 100 students are expected to be recruited for the MSc in Mathematical Sciences for Teachers program. The Girls in Mathematical Sciences Program (GMSP) is set to expand, reaching about 1,000 young girls per year.

AIMS also plans to launch new programs targeted at professionals and explore the possibility of starting undergraduate programs in artificial intelligence, data science, and computational finance.