The first African Institute for Mathematical Science (AIMS) centre was established in 2003, in Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa. The network now has five centres of excellence across Africa, including Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon, and Tanzania with a global secretariat in Claremont, Cape Town. AIMS’ Next Einstein Initiative Secretariat is working to operate fifteen centres of excellence across Africa by 2023 for postgraduate education and research dedicated to the development of mathematical sciences in Africa.

AIMS recruits outstanding students from across the continent, teaching widely applicable, high-level math and computing skills and providing exposure to a broad range of cutting-edge science and technology disciplines.

AIMS was designated as a NEPAD Centre of Excellence by the African Ministerial Conference on Science and Technology (AMCOST) in 2003 and won significant ongoing support from the South African Ministries of Education, and Science and Technology.

AIMS also serves as the Secretariat of the African Mathematical Institutes Network (AMI-Net), a flagship programme in the AU/NEPAD Africa’s Science and Technology Consolidated Plan of Action (CPA). At its meeting in January 2009, AMI-Net considered and endorsed the AIMS Next Einstein Initiative (AIMS-NEI,), whose vision is “to unlock and nurture scientific talent across Africa, so that within our lifetime we can celebrate an African Einstein”.