The African Institute of Mathematical Sciences is set to establish a regional centre of excellence in the country.

This was announced by the Institute’s founder Neil Turok while briefing journalists shortly after his meeting with President Paul Kagame at Urugwiro Village, yesterday.

The centre of excellence will also serve as the institution’s headquarters on the continent.

The centre will be the sixth of its kind on the African continent after similar establishments in Cameroon, South Africa, Senegal, Ghana and Tanzania.

Toruk said that the decision to bring such a centre of excellence to Rwanda and turn it into their main base in Africa was informed by the country’s "exceptional” achievements and strides in infrastructure development as well as its emphasis on developing capacities among the youth.

He noted that the institution’s mission resonated well with the country’s development aspirations and goals.

"This is the ideal place to create a centre for enabling young Africans to become scientific leaders, technological leaders as well as entrepreneurial leaders,” Turok said.

The centre of excellence will focus on postgraduate studies; Masters and PhDs (Doctor of Philosophy) with the first intake due August next year. They expect to receive up to 3000 applications.

Founded in 2013, the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) is a tertiary education and research institution with a presence in five African countries.

Its mission is to enable Africa’s brightest students to flourish as independent thinkers, problem solvers and innovators capable of propelling future scientific, educational and economic self-sufficiency, it says.

The institute was formed through a partnership of world leading universities.

Toruk also announced plans to launch a Quantum Leap Africa Research Centre in Rwanda that will be involved in the study of the successor of the digital era.

Education minister Papias Musafiri described the move as an important development not only for Rwanda but the entire region.

He expressed the government’s readiness to facilitate accomplishment of the project.

Among other top global varsities with a presence in Kigali is Carnegie Mellon University, an American based university which opened a campus in Rwanda in 2013. The institution seeks to facilitate implementation of the continent’s bold ICT strategy under the Smart Africa Manifesto – which puts ICT at the centre of social economic development.

Rwanda is also set to host a centre of excellence on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) following the country’s strong gains under the framework of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

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