AIMS partners with Google to pursue joint research interests while strengthening research collaborations in Africa

In advancing the frontiers of scientific research in areas of specialization like artificial intelligence, the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences – Ghana (AIMS Ghana) has signed a Masters Sponsored Research Agreement (MSRA) with Google Research. The agreement seeks to further strengthen the partnership between both institutions as part of efforts to enforce their ongoing commitment to collaborate and advance computing and technology in Africa.   

“We are excited about this partnership as it will afford researchers and students at AIMS a great opportunity to deepen their collaboration with scientists at Google research. AIMS is Africa’s largest network of centres for postgraduate training in mathematical sciences and their applications. We take pride in our mission to empower talented young Africans to be creative leaders in science and technology. We ensure that our students and alumni are in touch with reality and are hungry to pursue excellence through collaboration in addressing Africa’s mega challenges.” – Lydie Hakizimana, Chief Executive Officer – AIMS. 

In 2018, AIMS received the support of Google as one of the founding partners of the African Masters in Machine Intelligence (AMMI) Program, which has successfully trained over 100 students in the area of AI and data science. The AMMI program, known as the best Artificial Intelligence (AI) education in Africa, has successfully been run in three AIMS Centres: Rwanda, Senegal and Ghana. 

“Our partnership with AIMS started in 2018, with the launch of the African Master’s in Machine Intelligence, which we are happy to continue our funding support. On my visit to AIMS Ghana Campus last week I was reminded of the great potential in Africa, and we’re excited to deepen our collaboration with AIMS by signing the Master Sponsored Research Agreement, to enable research and leadership sponsored programs developing young tech-talent in Africa. AI is a breathtaking tool that gives us the power to change our world and which will help us build in Africa, for Africa, and the world” – Prof Yossi Matias, Vice President, Engineering & Research – Google 

In the past three years, Google Research’s AI Lab in Accra has played host to several AIMS researchers, including some alumni of the AMMI program who are shaping the use of machine learning technologies in Africa. Notable amongst these alumni is Abigail Annkah – who is part of the first cohort of graduates from our AMMI Program, joined Google Research in Accra as a Research Software Engineer whose contribution to improving GoogleMaps has led to the mapping of millions of buildings and sq. km of roads previously unmapped. 

Distributed by African Media Agency for the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) .