AIMS Ghana Graduates Record 130 Students from Across Africa at Historic 14th Ceremony

The African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) Ghana has achieved a historic milestone, graduating a record 130 students at its 14th graduation ceremony held on Friday, 27th June 2026 at the Cedi Conference Centre, University of Ghana, Legon. The ceremony, themed Celebrating 14 Years of Transforming Africa Through Science, Innovation and Education, marked the largest graduating class in the institution's history, with students drawn from 24 African countries all receiving Master of Science degrees in Mathematical Sciences.

Centre President Dr Prince Osei hailed the occasion as a defining moment for African science, stressing the importance of building a strong base of mathematical scientists on the continent. Of the 130 graduates, 49 completed the regular MSc Mathematical Sciences programme — representing 19 African countries with 35% female representation — while the remaining 81 graduated from the Master of Mathematical Sciences for Teachers, a two-year hybrid programme designed for in-service secondary school teachers of mathematics, computer science, and physics. Dr Osei noted that 30% of the entire graduating class are female. He also revealed that the institution received over 2,000 applications for the teachers' programme this year and close to 1,000 for the regular master's — a sharp rise that signals growing demand for advanced mathematical training across Africa.

Graduate Employment and Research Outcomes

Dr Osei highlighted strong employment figures, noting that approximately 60% of former MasterCard Foundation Scholars at AIMS Ghana have moved into industry roles, with 20% taking up academic and research internships and 11% proceeding to postgraduate studies at universities worldwide. Two students from the current graduating class also co-authored papers accepted in peer-reviewed journals — a feat Dr Osei described as a reflection of the institution's high academic standards. The guest speaker was Dr Koketro Andamboekwe, an alumna from AIMS Ghana's very first graduating cohort, who now serves as a faculty member in the Statistics and Natural Science Department at the University of Ghana.

Innovation, Outreach and Expansion

The 2025–2026 academic year also saw AIMS Ghana launch INNOBAVIS, its Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hub, aimed at translating student research into practical, real-world solutions. The institution's public engagement efforts on the International Day of Mathematics reached over 500,000 people across seven regions of Ghana, while its Girls in Mathematical Sciences Programme expanded to 300 high school girls from Ghana, Nigeria, and Madagascar — a significant leap from the 50 participants in earlier cohorts. A quantum technology hackathon, held as part of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, brought together 35 students from 10 African countries; the winning team, HALERIA, developed a quantum-based approach to combating malaria and has since been invited to present at international conferences.

UNESCO Status Renewed and Satellite Campus Plans Underway

On the institutional front, AIMS Ghana successfully renewed its UNESCO Category 2 Institute of Excellence status, securing an eight-year tripartite agreement between AIMS, UNESCO, and the Government of Ghana. The centre has also begun discussions toward establishing satellite campuses in Côte d'Ivoire and northern Ghana, a move that could significantly broaden its reach across the region. AIMS Ghana is part of the AIMS Global Network, which has been operating across Africa for 23 years with a mission to transform the continent through scientific education and research.