Animath is a non-profit organization devoted to the promotion of mathematics towards school-aged students. One of our axioms is based on a simple observation: once in a situation that encourages and enhances their inventiveness, students can switch from being passive to a positive attitude towards make a real breakthrough in their attitude of passivity in front of maths. The main idea is then to make them appropriate the mathematics they discover, with the help of mathematicians who are both passionate about their fields and experienced in this relationship with students. Animath is therefore committed to this objective in an international action, which has two parts:
- Promote extracurricular mathematical activities in French-speaking countries
- Develop exchanges between French students and their foreign colleagues through participation in Olympic competitions, the organisation of innovative competitions (ITYM), the (co-)organisation of international summer schools, the twinning of mathematics clubs.
The objective has two main dimensions :
- Promote scientific development in order to create groups of highly motivated high school students who are likely to undertake higher scientific studies and thus to boost the teaching of mathematics.
- Enable French students to discover other cultures and other ways of approaching mathematics, and their teachers to exchange on the various traditions and practices of approach to mathematics according to the countries.
These actions also help to develop the French-speaking dimension and contribute to the creation of a network of alumni and to foster interest in future studies in France among foreign high school students motivated by mathematics
Animath’s concrete actions
Animath supports the organization of mathematics clubs and mathematics courses abroad, mainly in French-speaking countries, for secondary and high school students. The association provides distance coaching for the clubs by, PhD candidates and researchers, and on-site co-supervision by animators from France and local animators.
In French-speaking Africa, clubs and/or training courses have been organized since 2011 in Cameroon, Gabon, Togo, and more recently in Benin, Congo (DRC). The signature in 2018 of a cooperation agreement with Campus France gives this action a strong impetus from 2019 onwards. The following countries are now involved: Benin, Burkina-Faso, Cameroon, Congo (PR), Congo (DRC), Ivory Coast, Senegal. Other countries are expected to participate. There is a real educational emergency in Africa, particularly in French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa. To set up a session or a club, you can consult the section « organiser une activité », (navigators may provide translation). You can also contact a member of Animath, by using the button « conctact ».
Other countries are also concerned. Courses have been organized in recent years in Kosovo and Palestine ; Animath attended in Chennai (India) to mathematical events organized by the French Embassy.
All the actions carried out internationally are of course in line with the association’s priorities, particularly the concern for parity between girls and boys and for social equity, for example by imposing free admission for participants. Clubs with the Animath label sign a charter.