The Mega Maths Festival (www.megamaths.org), a first-of-its-kind International Mathematics in Education Conference, took place from 7 to 11 July 2025 at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). The Mega Maths Festival is a multi-stakeholder platform strategically led by the South African Government Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), in collaboration with AIMS South Africa and UWC. Themed “Mathematics: Our 13th National Language”, the festival aimed to strengthen mathematics education and research across the South African ecosystem, encompassing schools, higher education and industry, all of which are vital parts of the National Systems of Innovation (NSI). This historic event was directly inspired by and strategically leveraged the successes and high-level engagements of the Siyakhula Festival, held in March 2024 at AIMS South Africa.
The Siyakhula Festival, meaning “we are growing” in Zulu, celebrated the 20th anniversary of AIMS with a dynamic, week-long celebration of mathematical sciences. Highlighting AIMS’s Pan-African footprint and partnerships, Siyakhula brought together key stakeholders in the mathematical ecosystem. These engagements laid the foundation for the Mega Maths Festival, enabling AIMS South Africa and its partners to further advance the role of mathematics within national and continental development agendas.
The Mega Maths Festival brought together over 500 delegates, including policymakers from various government departments such as DHET, DBE, DSTI and NRF, academics, researchers from various universities and TVET colleges, science and education councils, NGOs involved in mathematics education, corporate representatives, rural school mathematics teachers, high school pupils, university students, and international participants. The Mega Maths Festival was co-funded by the European Union (EU).
The programme featured over 10 engaging keynote addresses, panel discussions, and thematic workshops led by distinguished South African and international experts and coordinated by various stakeholders such as IMSA, SAMF, NECT & DBE, QuantifyYourFuture and PrimTED. Covering themes from the socio-economic impact of mathematics to the future of AI and education, the festival provided a strong platform to examine how mathematics shapes society and how we must adapt mathematics education to meet upcoming challenges.
Delivering the keynote address at the festival, the Honourable Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, highlighted mathematics as essential for solving pressing national priorities such as economic development, and solutions to contemporary challenges like water, sanitation, energy, and climate change and affirmed that the outcomes of the festival would inform future policy and implementation.
Over 80 poster presentations by postgraduate students and researchers showcased diverse work across all levels, from early schooling mathematics education to advanced research in mathematics, statistics, and science communication. Delegates also appreciated a range of interactive exhibits.
Prof. Wil Schilders, President of the International Council for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, delivered a compelling keynote address highlighting key findings from European studies on the socio-economic impact of the mathematical sciences. Drawing on extensive research, he shared valuable insights and lessons with direct relevance to South Africa, emphasising the vital role mathematics plays in driving innovation, economic growth, and societal development.
AIMS South Africa at the Heart of Mega Maths
AIMS South Africa brought to this dynamic platform its track record and commitment to strengthening the teaching, learning, and research of mathematics in South Africa. In solidarity, it provided leadership, strategic planning, mentorship, conceptualisation, and delivery of the Mega Maths festival. AIMS was honoured to support the implementation and realisation of this unique national government strategic platform, where diverse multi-stakeholders and interdisciplinary local and international actors collaborated to reinvigorate mathematics education and research across the South African ecosystem.
Along with the festival, the AIMS School Enrichment Centre (AIMSSEC) conducted a dynamic teacher training programme from 6 to 11 July 2025, empowering 160 teachers from disadvantaged rural and township communities in South Africa. Additionally, AIMSSEC hosted a pre-festival workshop focused on tech in schools, gathering over 100 high school students to participate.
Prof. Ulrich Paquet, Director of AIMS South Africa, views the mathematics community as central to our nation’s growth and prosperity:
| “South Africa has a vibrant and strong mathematics community. The community has an incredibly important set of responsibilities, from leading school education to enabling frontier-level research and innovation. All of these responsibilities form a coherent base for economic growth. It is exciting to see the Mega Maths festival bring the mathematics community together in a very strategic way.” |
During the opening ceremony, Dr Rejoyce Gavhi-Molefe, Manager of the House of Science at AIMS South Africa, shared AIMS’s aspiration. For her, AIMS’s big dream is about reimagining strategic alignments of mathematics education across our national system from the foundational stages of learning through to higher education institutions like AIMS. She continued:
| “We believe mathematics is the driver of progress. However, for mathematics to really play a pivotal role, it must be intentionally cultivated across a seamless continuum, from foundational learning in schools to advanced innovation in higher education and industry. This week, the Mega Maths Festival presents us with an unparalleled and potent opportunity – a unified national platform to engage, reflect, and act collectively. For us at AIMS, this is more than just a conference; it is an opportunity to strategically link policy, teaching, learning, and research endeavours within the realm of mathematical science.” Dr Rejoyce Gavhi-Molefe |
Throughout the week, 50 students, 6 alumni, and 10 staff actively participated and contributed to the festival, from coordinating the daily programme and hosting the AIMS booth to engaging in lectures, panels, and workshops. Their dynamic role and commitment helped bring the festival to life.
AIMS South Africa Booth
The AIMS booth offered delegates an engaging platform to connect with our passionate Pan-African Master’s student cohorts and alumni who are pursuing impactful careers in academia, education, and industry. They shared insights into our Academic, Research, and Schools & Society programmes and highlighted inspiring journeys and lived experiences. Their inspiring journeys embody what is possible when Africa’s mathematics pipeline is nurtured and why expanding it is essential. The booth also proudly featured the prestigious AIMS Library Series, encouraging delegates to purchase copies directly from AIMS or at the renowned Cambridge University Press (CUP) bookstore, highlighting AIMS’s growing academic footprint.
AIMS alumni who participated in the festival included Mr Ndivhuwo Prince Tshivhasa (Data Scientist at Standard Bank), Dr Emmanuel Tuyishimire (Lecturer at North-West University), Ms Refiloe Shabe (Intern at InstaDeep, Cape Town), and Mr Ndivhuwo Mphephu (Quantitative Analyst at Standard Bank). They provided mentorship and engaged meaningfully with current students throughout the event.
Interactive Poster sessions
Through the poster sessions that were coordinated by AIMS students and alumni as part of their leadership training and community engagement, our students had a key opportunity to disseminate their scientific research projects, and showcase their science communication projects, which were part of the 2025 Africa Scientifique: Leadership, Knowledge and Skills for Science Communication Programme, delivered in partnership with African Gong. The poster sessions invited meaningful interaction, reflection, and collaboration across diverse fields in mathematics.
| “At the 2025 MegaMaths Festival, I had the opportunity to present two posters, including PiggyCast, my AI-powered ensemble model for improved weather prediction, and Let’s Talk: The AI-Human Factor, a community engagement initiative on ethical and practical AI literacy. During a panel discussion on the future of mathematics education, I advocated for a Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach rooted in the 4 P’s: Projects, Passion, Peer-learning, and Play, to foster creativity, critical thinking, and real-world application in the AI era. This framework challenges traditional assessment models by encouraging interdisciplinary, student-driven exploration of mathematics. The festival was a great platform that challenged and put into practice my science communication, leadership and organisational skills, as I also volunteered in running the AIMS’ booth and coordinating my fellow students. I am now more confident in engaging with both scientific and non-scientific communities and ready to lead policy conversations on Mathematics and AI literacy”. Mr Josiah Kiarie Kimani |
AIMS South Africa concluded the festival with a keynote address that explored AI’s past, present, and future through the lens of its petri dish: chess by Prof Ulrich Paquet followed by a fireside chat facilitated that brought together various stakeholders from the mathematics and education community in South Africa to engage and debate the future of mathematics education in light of advances in AI.
Overall, the festival reaffirmed the urgent need to reimagine mathematics education and research in South Africa to be more inclusive, innovative, and aligned with the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
The Mega Maths Festival concluded with a comprehensive summary of each day’s session tracks, including valuable insights gained, policy recommendations and a call to action for the South African mathematics community moving forward.
Mega Maths Festival Highlights: Video: https://bit.ly/MegaMaths2025
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