7 June 2020- Forty-five AIMS graduates are set to take part in the maiden blended AIMS/ESMT Industry Immersion Program to be held online co-currently in three AIMS-Centers; AIMS South Africa, AIMS Ghana and AIMS Rwanda. Participants in this program are currently based at the participating centers and would be supervised by a business tutor while adhering to social distancing measures and existing safety protocols. They would also take part in the online business competition for universities and business schools from all around the world offered by the MARGA Business Simulations. The first of its kind.

Launched  in  2017  as  a  4-year  pilot  program  at  AIMS  South  Africa,  the  AIMS-ESMT Industry   Immersion   Program   is   a   partnership   between   the   African   Institute   for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) and the European School of Management and Technology (ESMT)   Berlin   with   support   funding   from   the   DAAD   which   aims   to   prepare mathematically-trained graduates for careers in business or industry.

“The terrible COVID19 pandemic suffered this year has forced us to redesign the delivery of our IIP program. We are excited that we have not only overcome this challenge with an “online blended” delivery, but actually are now better placed to scale the program into the “new  normal  future”  Africa  is  facing,  says  Mark  Heerden  –  Executive  Co-Founder, AIMS/ESMT IIP  .

The first phase of the course consists of Business and soft skills training which will run for 6 weeks from 8th June – 10th  July 2020 online through a special learning hub.  The business skills courses will be taught by lecturers from ESMT Berlin, and the soft skills training  will  be  offered  by  staff  from  AIMS  in  collaboration  with  partners  from  other academic  institutions  and  industry.  The  business  courses  include  data  analytics  in business  for  mathematicians,  organizational  behavior, strategy  as  well  as  finance  and accounting. The second phase consists of up to 6-months internships with multinational companies in the home countries of the graduates where they will apply the skills acquired during the program in an industrial setting. This year, we selected 45 participants with 22 being males and 23 females from 20 African countries.

The IIP has already enjoyed an impressive start, working with our global partners, we will now  scale  the  program  to  reach  other  African  nations  where  we  believe  it  can  have  a meaningful  impact  on  industrial  development  and  opportunity.  Soon,  the  IIP  will graduate  125  students  annually  across  its  multinational  African  program  according  to Nick Barniville – Assistant Dean/ Director EdTech, ESMT

About AIMS

The  African  Institute  for  Mathematical  Sciences  (AIMS)  is  a  pan-African  network  of centres  of  excellence  for  post  graduate  training,  research  and  public  engagement  in mathematical sciences. Its mission is to enable Africa’s brightest students to flourish as independent  thinkers,  problem  solvers  and  innovators  capable  of  propelling  Africa’s future scientific, educational and economic self-sufficiency. AIMS was founded in 2003 with centers in five African countries including South Africa, Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon and Rwanda. AIMS has produced more than 2015 graduates, about one third of whom are women. nexteinstein.org

About ESMT Berlin

ESMT Berlin is the highest-ranked business school in Germany and Top 10 in Europe. Founded  by  25  leading  global  companies,   ESMT  offers  master’s,  MBA,  and  PhD programs, as well as executive education on its campus in Berlin, in locations around the world,  and  in  an  online  blended  format.  Focusing  on  leadership,  innovation,  and analytics,  its  diverse  faculty  publishes  outstanding  research  in  top  academic  journals. Additionally, the international business school provides an interdisciplinary platform for discourse  between  politics,  business,  and  academia.  ESMT  is  a  non-profit  private institution  of  higher  education,  accredited  by  AACSB,  AMBA,  EQUIS,  and  FIBAA. esmt.berlin

Program Contacts

David Attipoe

Program Lead, AIMS ESMT IIP AIMS South Africa davida@aims.ac.za

Nick Barniville

Assistant Dean/ Director EdTech ESMT Berlin Nick.Barniville@esmt.org