Conference on China-Africa Mathematics Research and Education Cooperation & Inauguration Ceremony of the China-Africa Mathematics Center Held at Zhejiang Normal University
On October 24, the Conference on China-Africa Mathematics Research and Education Cooperation and the Inauguration Ceremony of the China-Africa Center of Mathematics (CACM) were held at Zhejiang Normal University (ZJNU). Leading mathematicians from China, South Africa, Egypt, the Republic of the Congo, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Brazil and other countries gathered to witness this significant milestone.
Group photo taken at the Conference and Inauguration Ceremony | Photo by Kerui Zhang, Integrated Media Center, ZJNU
Attendees included: Gang Tian, Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Professor at Peking University; Zhiming Zheng, Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Yuguang Shi, Vice Chairman & Secretary-General of the Chinese Mathematical Society and Professor at Peking University; Efim Zelmanov, Fields Medalist and Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Loyiso G. Nongxa, Co-Director of the South African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Former Vice President of the International Mathematical Union and Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand; Basile Guy Richard Bossoto, President of the African Mathematical Union; Abdon Atangana, President of the African Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics; Paolo Piccione, Member of the Executive Committee of the International Mathematical Union, Member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and Former President of the Brazilian Mathematical Society; Mahmoud Abdel-Aty, Vice President of the African Mathematical Union; Vyacheslav Futorny, Member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences; Hui Huang, Vice Mayor of Jinhua; Limin Qiu, President of Zhejiang Normal University; Yang Liu, Member of the Party Committee of ZJNU; Lei Ni, Distinguished Professor of ZJNU; Hongwu Liu, National Distinguished Talent and Dean of the Institute of African Studies (School of African Regional and Country Studies), ZJNU. Jianzhen Zhang, Vice President of ZJNU, presided over the opening ceremony.
Speech delivered by President Limin Qiu of ZJNU | Photo by Junchi Li, Integrated Media Center, ZJNU
President Limin Qiu stated that ZJNU has thoroughly implemented the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important reply letter. The university has co-established the Africa Center for Science and Education Research with UNESCO, appointed Faustin-Archange Touadéra, President of the Central African Republic, as an Honorary Professor of Mathematics, and built academic partnerships with the University of Bangui covering applied mathematics, computer science and other disciplines, accumulating rich practical experience. Hosting this conference and founding the CACM is a strategic initiative for the university to leverage its strengths in African studies, as well as a concrete action responding to national strategic demands and proactively supporting the development of an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.
Moving forward, the Center will build a bridge linking authoritative institutions including the Chinese Mathematical Society, the International Mathematical Union, the African Mathematical Union and the African Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, alongside top Chinese and African scientists. It aims to develop itself into a vital platform for Sino-African mathematical research cooperation and exchanges, a key training hub for Chinese and African mathematical talents, and a core base for joint research on pure mathematics and artificial intelligence.
Speech delivered by Gang Tian, CAS Member & Professor of Peking University | Photo by Baiyu Zhang, Integrated Media Center, ZJNU
Academician Gang Tian pointed out that both Chinese and African civilizations have long made unique contributions to the evolution of mathematical thought. Amid deepening globalization and steady progress of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, China-Africa ties have grown closer, with exchanges and collaboration in mathematics flourishing and laying a solid foundation for the Center’s launch. China is striving to build itself into a country strong in education and science and technology, while African nations are taking scientific and technological innovation as a core driving force under the guidance of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. Against this backdrop, deepening mathematical cooperation represents a tangible practice of fostering a closer China-Africa community with a shared future in the field of fundamental science, delivering robust intellectual support for common prosperity of both sides. He expressed hopes that the Center would pioneer cutting-edge research to build a new highland for basic studies, adopt demand-oriented approaches to connect academic education with industrial transformation, and prioritize talent cultivation to nurture young forces for future China-Africa cooperation.
Speech delivered by Zhiming Zheng, Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences | Photo by Qiuping Zhou, Integrated Media Center, ZJNU
Academician Zhiming Zheng remarked that ZJNU has forged a "Jinhua Model" for China’s African studies, contributing irreplaceable "ZJNU wisdom and strength" to advancing China-Africa comprehensive strategic partnership and building a closer China-Africa community with a shared future. The establishment of the CACM injects powerful, forward-looking scientific momentum into the university’s profound accumulation of cultural exchange and think-tank expertise, marking a landmark leap in ZJNU’s Africa-focused cooperation from humanities and social sciences to fundamental sciences. It also signals that China-Africa cooperation has entered a brand-new phase, evolving beyond trade assistance, infrastructure connectivity and cultural exchange toward deeper co-creation of knowledge, joint scientific research and shared future development. He expected the Center to become an intellectual melting pot converging the wisdom of leading mathematicians from both sides, an elite cradle cultivating the next generation of top Chinese and African mathematical talents, and a vital talent pool underpinning scientific and technological self-reliance for China and African nations.
Speech delivered by Yuguang Shi | Photo by Yuxuan Shen, Integrated Media Center, ZJNU
On behalf of the Chinese Mathematical Society, Yuguang Shi extended warm congratulations on the convening of the conference and the inauguration of the CACM. He noted that in recent years, the Chinese Mathematical Society has actively responded to major national strategic needs, continuously deepening exchanges and cooperation with mathematical communities across Africa and other regions to advance high-quality Belt and Road development. The founding of the CACM at ZJNU stands as a major achievement under this strategic orientation, a substantial deepening of China-Africa friendly collaboration in basic science, and an important milestone in the history of Sino-African mathematical exchange. He hoped the Center would consolidate its academic exchange platform, prioritize talent training, and advance in-depth disciplinary co-development. The Chinese Mathematical Society will fully leverage its industrial resources to establish close collaborative ties with the Center, fully support its growth, and jointly serve the national strategy of high-standard opening-up and the drive to build China into a mathematical power.
Speech delivered by Loyiso G. Nongxa, Co-Director of SAIMS, Former Vice President of IMU & Former Vice-Chancellor of Wits University |
Photo by Jiayuan Yu, Integrated Media Center, ZJNU
Loyiso G. Nongxa said African scholars take immense pride in the launch of the CACM. China’s mathematical community has long provided extensive support for the advancement of mathematics across Africa, and the Center’s inauguration ushers in a new chapter of bilateral cooperation. As the cornerstone of fundamental science, mathematics occupies a vital strategic position in Agenda 2063. Its multi-layered frameworks underpin resilient growth in economics and finance, while closely linking to cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence. Today, mathematics is no longer exclusive to scientists but serves as a critical bond connecting China and Africa to co-create a shared future.
Speech delivered by Basile Guy Richard Bossoto, President of the African Mathematical Union | Photo by Kerui Zhang, Integrated Media Center, ZJNU
Basile Guy Richard Bossoto highly commended China and Africa for advancing joint cooperation through mathematics, the universal language of science. As President of the African Mathematical Union, he pledged the Union’s full support for the CACM to evolve into a pivotal platform advancing Sino-African mathematical research, teacher training, and youth and women’s development. The African continent boasts abundant youthful vitality, while China possesses rich experience and advanced technologies. Complementary strengths between the two sides will jointly build the Center into an outstanding, inclusive and peaceful hub for mathematical collaboration.
Speech delivered by Abdon Atangana, President of the African Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics | Photo by Junchi Li,
Integrated Media Center, ZJNU
Abdon Atangana emphasized that mathematics is an essential tool for understanding nature and addressing global challenges. He expressed great encouragement upon seeing numerous young Chinese and African scholars committed to the development of mathematics and the construction of the Center. The Center’s inauguration will boost not only mathematical progress but also cultural exchange between China and Africa. African scholars eagerly anticipate deeper collaboration with Chinese counterparts and welcome Chinese mathematicians to visit Africa to witness the real-world applications and innovations of mathematics driving social transformation on the continent. On the occasion of the Center’s founding, he called on Chinese and African partners to advance mathematical progress with a global vision and foster shared prosperity and development through expanded joint projects.
Unveiling Ceremony of the China-Africa Center of Mathematics at Zhejiang Normal University | Photo by Baiyu Zhang, Integrated Media Center, ZJNU
Appointment Ceremony of Distinguished Professor Lei Ni | Photo by Qiuping Zhou, Integrated Media Center, ZJNU
Efim Zelmanov, Fields Medalist and Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, appointed Chief Expert of the China-Africa Center of Mathematics | Photo by Yuxuan Shen, Integrated Media Center, ZJNU
The event featured the unveiling ceremony of the CACM. Efim Zelmanov was appointed Chief Expert of the Center, and Lei Ni, Distinguished Professor of ZJNU, was appointed Director of the CACM.
Speech delivered by Hongwu Liu, Dean of the Institute of African Studies (School of African Regional and Country Studies), ZJNU | Photo by Qiuping Zhou, Integrated Media Center, ZJNU
Hongwu Liu reviewed ZJNU’s track record of China-Africa exchange. He noted that intellectual communication between China and Africa stretches back thousands of years, and the renaissance of civilizations on both sides has entered a new historical phase. The launch of the CACM will pave broader paths for scientific and educational cooperation across the Global South, helping both sides write new chapters of prosperity bridging vast oceans.
Lei Ni elaborated on the development plan of the CACM. He stated that the Center will establish long-term collaborative mechanisms, conduct joint research on mathematical challenges, facilitate mutual cultural learning, and build a domestically leading and internationally renowned platform integrating Sino-African mathematical research cooperation, talent training, mathematics education and industrial applications. It is committed to meeting national strategic demands, elevating the international profile and influence of relevant disciplines, and supporting the university’s goal of reaching peak academic standards. Moving forward, the Center will focus on four core work streams: exchange and cooperation in China-Africa mathematical research, training of Chinese and African mathematical talents, exchange and development of multi-level Sino-African mathematics education, and joint research and development of pure mathematics and artificial intelligence.
Public lecture delivered by Efim Zelmanov | Photo by Jiayuan Yu, Integrated Media Center, ZJNU
Following the opening ceremony, Efim Zelmanov delivered a public lecture titled Mathematics in the Modern World.
Academic presentations delivered by participating scholars | Photo by Yuxuan Shen, Integrated Media Center, ZJNU
Loyiso G. Nongxa presented a plenary talk entitled An overview of South African mathematical sciences research landscape: past, present and the future. Vyacheslav Futorny, Member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and Professor at Southern University of Science and Technology, delivered a plenary lecture Cooperation experience with Africa.
Roundtable Discussion Session | Photo by Jiayuan Yu , Integrated Media Center, ZJNU
During the roundtable session, participating experts and scholars held in-depth exchanges on two core themes: New Opportunities for China-Africa Mathematical Research, Education and Applications in the AI Era, and Local Experience and International Integration of Secondary Mathematics Education.
Group Photo of All Participants | Photo by Kerui Zhang, Integrated Media Center, ZJNU
The event drew experts and scholars from institutions including the Chinese Mathematical Society, Peking University, Tsinghua University, Beihang University, Southern University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou Dianzi University, New York University Abu Dhabi, Sohag University (Egypt), Hassan II University of Casablanca, University of the Free State (South Africa), University of Burundi, University of the Witwatersrand, University of São Paulo (Brazil), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Marien Ngouabi University, and the South African Institute for Mathematical Sciences. Also in attendance were specialists in basic mathematics education across Zhejiang Province, alongside relevant faculty and administrative leaders from various schools and departments of Zhejiang Normal University.
ERIC UWADIEGWU OFOEDU's Presentation.pdf
EFIM ZELMANOV—Talk in Zhejiang Normal University. pdf.pdf
Editor: Yan Wu