Twenty-five AIMS students from eight African countries received their certificates for completing the AIMS ESMT Industry Immersion Program (IIP). The students who participated in this 20-week residential and fully- funded business and employability skills program were suitably qualified and industry-inclined AIMS Master’s in Mathematical Sciences graduated across Africa. The backbone of the program was a 12-week internship module with participating industry partners from across Africa, during which participants experienced a business environment first hand and were able to apply their academic knowledge.

At the ceremony Mr. Nick Barniville, Associate Dean of Programs, ESMT Berlin, congratulated the students and noted, “Through your internships you have proven the value you can add to African industry.” He also said that visiting ESMT faculty who had taught the various courses on the program had shared with him that they had found it to be an absolutely fantastic experience, and a wonderfully enriching opportunity for them.

Mr. Clifford Klaas, Executive Director, Siemens Africa, thanked AIMS and ESMT for giving Siemens the opportunity to take part in the program. “The focus on skills development is very important to us as we need to have the talent in Africa that can execute our programs and I like what I have seen.”

Prof. Wulffe Plinke, Founding Dean of ESMT Berlin thanked all the partner companies noting, “We appreciate the investment that they are making for the future of Africa.” To the students he said, “You are now embarking on a new chapter in your life and your future is in your hands, I wish you all the best for your future careers.”

In an interview after the ceremony Mr. Micheal Kloss, Managing Director, Bosch South Africa, said that he had been very happy with the two interns that were placed at Bosch. “They both worked on real business problems which will have an impact on our business as they conducted a study that will be put into practice.”

The IIP was launched at AIMS South Africa in July 2017 in partnership with ESMT Berlin and the Southern African German Chamber of Commerce and Industry with funding support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation (BMZ) through the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). In addition, Stellenbosch University gaves students a series of seminars aligned around leadership, active citizenship, social responsibility, skills development and business start-ups.
Industry Partners from South Africa included BBraun, Bosch, Evonik, Hatch, Khonology, and Siemens. In Cameroon the partners were the Cameroon Development Company, ENEO and Kouaba Consulting and in Ghana, CAL Bank and the Ghana Energy Commission. Superfluid Labs and Obertys represented Kenya and Senegal, respectively.
AIMS South Africa will host this program again in 2018.