In May 2016 the University of Glasgow signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences-Next Einstein Initiative (AIMS-NEI), which made the School of Mathematics and Statistics a member of their partnership programme. The agreement guarantees UoG lecturers from our School, who want to give a course at AIMS, a teaching slot in a centre of their choice without having to go through the usual application procedure. Several of our staff members continue to contribute to AIMS' mission which we as a School also benefit from, as teaching there provides an excellent opportunity for postgraduate student recruitment.

Former School staff member, Prof Ulrich Kraehmer, was and is a frequent visitor to AIMS Ghana. In order to continue supporting AIMS, and strengthen our collaboration with them, it was agreed by the School to donate a number of high quality chalkboards to the institution. Facilitated by Louise MacMaster, the boards were sourced from high quality board provider TK Team and, after a long and challenging process with shipping and customs, the boards arrived in Ghana in early December. They have been warmly received with a sincere level of thanks. The chalkboards have provided a conducive environment for students to discuss mathematics at different locations in the AIMS Ghana building.

One of our postgraduate students, Angela Tabiri, visited AIMS Ghana in January and said:

"In January, I travelled to Ghana with my supervisor, Ulrich Kraehmer to teach at AIMS-Ghana. We stayed at AIMS-Ghana for three weeks teaching a course on Quantum Algebra. Uli gave two hour lectures each day of the week while I gave one hour tutorials in the evenings.

Due to the donation of boards by the School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Glasgow, there are boards at most areas in the AIMS Ghana building so students can discuss mathematics with lecturers, tutors and their colleagues. I even gave tutorials using the boards donated. AIMS Ghana is grateful for this donation."

Some further thanks and appreciation:

"I wanted to thank you again for the boards for AIMS which are fabulous, it is hardly possible to overestimate your impact there, and the round of applause from the AIMS students when I told them who they should thank was much bigger than the one I got at the end of the course."

Prof Ulrich Kraehmer, Chair of Geometric Methods in Mathematics, Technical University Dresden

"On behalf of the management of AIMS Ghana, I express our gratitude to you and the team at the School of Mathematics & Statistics at the University of Glasgow for the donation of the boards. Your commitment to AIMS Ghana is extraordinary! Thank you very much and we look forward to hosting you soon."

Sarah Osei, External Relations Manager at AIMS-Ghana

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First published: 25 March 2019

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