Kigali, November 04 2020 – The African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) has announced the appointment of Ms Lydie Hakizimana as its Chief Executive Officer. The AIMS International Governing Board (IGB) made the announcement early today following a unanimous decision.

“As Interim CEO, Lydie has led AIMS impeccably through difficult times,” said Prof Neil Turok, AIMS Founder and IGB Chair. “Under her capable leadership, we foresee a very bright future for the organisation. Africa needs home-grown scientists, technologists, entrepreneurs and innovators. By providing outstanding scientific training, research and public engagement programs, AIMS is opening career pathways for these brilliant young people.”

“What an honour to be at the helm of Africa’s largest network of centres of excellence in mathematical sciences,” said Lydie Hakizimana. I am thankful for the confidence of the IGB, the unrelenting support of our partners and the commitment of our staff. We will continue to drive innovation through our unique model, charting a pathway for Africa’s brightest youth to become problem-solvers and impact their communities and the world”.

A certified Montessori teacher from the North American Montessori Center (NAMC) in Canada, Lydie Hakizimana is the holder of a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and proprietress of Happy Hearts, a chain of preschools providing quality early education to hundreds of children in Rwanda. Recipient of numerous awards, including the Mandela Washington Fellowship in 2016 and the Archbishop Desmond Tutu Fellowship in 2013, she is also the co-founder of Drakkar Ltd, a publishing house which serves more than 3,000 schools in Rwanda. Lydie Hakizimana had served on the AIMS Board since 2017, equally assuming the role of Interim CEO in March 2020.

About AIMS
Founded in 2003, the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) is a pan-African network of centres of excellence for post-graduate training in mathematical sciences, research and public engagement in STEM. With centres in South Africa, Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon and Rwanda, AIMS is leading Africa’s socio-economic transformation through innovative scientific training, cutting-edge research, and public engagement. With expertly tailored academic and non-academic programs spanning through Centres of Excellence, Research Centres, the AIMS Industry Initiative and gender-responsive Teacher Training, AIMS equally created two critical initiatives: Quantum Leap Africa, which aspires to do leading-edge research in quantum science, and the Next Einstein Forum, which is positioning Africa to become an important player in global science. For more information, visit www.nexteinstein.org.

Media Contact
Dr Layih Butake, Senior Outreach Manager & Acting Director of Communications, AIMS
Lbutake@nexteinstein.org
(+221) 773235609