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• Vienna African Mathematics Scholarships

  The aim of these Scholarships, offered in collaboration with AIMS, the African Institute(s) of Mathematical Sciences, as well as Abdus Salam ICTP, is to bring talented African Masters graduates to the University of Vienna for 6-month research visits. The students attend courses at the Faculty of Mathematics, and start a project with a supervisor or research group. The aim is to enhance the scholarship holders' research skills and to set them on a path towards an international PhD. In each of 2024-25 and 2025-26, two scholarships were offered from funds provided by the Faculty of Mathematics, the Vice-Rector for Research, and the International Office, University of Vienna.

  2025-26: Abdulhafeez Abdulsalam (➥photo)
  I am from Ibadan, Nigeria, where I earned a First-Class degree in Mathematics from the University of Ibadan, the nation’s flagship university. I later completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Mathematics at the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste, Italy.
  Through the Vienna African Mathematics Scholarship, I am pursuing research on well-poised q-Taylor expansions and extensions of the Askey–Wilson operator under the supervision of Prof Michael Schlosser. My research interests lie in analysis and combinatorics, with particular attention to special functions, integral transforms, q-series, harmonic analysis, partial differential equations, and number theory.
  This opportunity has provided me with a vibrant setting for mathematical exploration and collaboration. Beyond research, I have been active in the ODE–Integration Bee outreach project, which I co-founded at Ibadan. I am now collaborating with Integration Bee Austria to expand this initiative across Europe and have proposed a series of free seminars for undergraduate students that link integration with elementary special functions.
  Living and studying in Vienna, the most livable city in the world, has been a deeply inspiring experience. The city’s culture and history continually enrich academic life, and learning German has been part of that adventure. The scholarship represents a meaningful step in my journey toward doctoral studies and a long-term career in mathematical research and education.

  2025-26: Bani Bio Tougou (➥photo)
  I am a passionate mathematics student from Goumori, a small village in northern Benin. My journey in discrete mathematics began with my first Master's at the Institute of Mathematics and Physical Sciences (IMSP-UAC) in Benin, where I worked on generalizing local and global means from subtrees of trees to subquasitrees of ribbon graphs (topological graphs). This foundational work sparked my interest in the structural properties of networks. I then furthered my studies as a Mastercard Foundation Scholar at AIMS South Africa, affiliated with the University of Cape Town. For my thesis, I developed novel methods to analyse signed social networks, creating a "Frustration Exposure Index" to pinpoint sources of conflict and implementing optimization algorithms in Python. I am currently continuing this research path as a Vienna African Mathematics Scholarships holder at the University of Vienna, under the supervision of Prof Matija Bucic. I have been warmly welcomed here; the faculty members are incredibly kind and supportive, providing me with a temporary office and a laptop, which has greatly facilitated my work. In this excellent environment, I am investigating the tree spectrum of dense regular graphs. My work is driven by a deep curiosity about the interplay between graph theory, topology, and their practical applications.

  
  2024-25: Elysee Rugwiro (➥photo)
  I am from Nyarugenge, Kigali, Rwanda. After studies at the University of Rwanda and EAIFR, Kigali, Rwanda, I recently completed a master's degree in Mathematical Sciences with a specialization in Data Science at AIMS Rwanda. I am passionate about data science, with a specific focus on machine learning algorithms and optimization techniques for effective loss minimization, aiming to enhance model performance and predictive accuracy.
  I am honored to be awarded the Vienna African Mathematics Scholarship by the Faculty of Mathematics at the University of Vienna. During this fellowship, I will engage in advanced research in machine learning and artificial intelligence while attending Master-level courses that complement my research interests. This opportunity provides a valuable platform to deepen my expertise, expand my academic network, and build the skills needed to pursue a PhD and a meaningful career in data science.
  I am thrilled to be part of the University of Vienna’s Faculty of Mathematics in the vibrant city of Vienna, Austria. The city's beauty and rich culture make it an inspiring place for both study and research, and I am also enjoying the opportunity to learn German during my stay. 
  
  2024-25: Vincent Gali Ehba (➥photo)
  I am a native of Léré, a small town in southwestern Chad. After a degree in applied mathematics at the University of Maroua in Cameroon, I had the opportunity to study at AIMS Cameroon in Limbé, Cameroon.  At AIMS, my work focused on integer factorization algorithms using elliptic curves, which quickly sharpened my curiosity to learn more about those algebraic varieties and their applications to cryptography. This led me to start a project at the University of N'Djamena on graphs of elliptic curves. I knew I would need more skills, as I aspire to become a leading researcher in the field of mathematical cryptography in my home country and to inspire a new generation of young African Scientists.
  The Vienna African Mathematics Scholarship program came just right to offer me an opportunity to strengthen my theoretical knowledge in Mathematics, especially in algebraic geometry and number theory which are essential background for my future research.
  Here at the Faculty of Mathematics, people are friendly and very collaborative. I am delighted to join a vibrant research environment with great professors and work on fascinating topics like projective
  varieties and Ramanujan graphs. While studying, living in a beautiful and cold city like Vienna is also part of the adventure.
  
  AIMS, the African Institute(s) of Mathematical Sciences
  A network of five institutes on the African continent, training Master and PhD students, and hosting researchers and scientific events. Locations: Accra, Ghana; Kigali, Rwanda; Limbe, Cameroon; M'bour, Senegal; Muizenberg, South Africa. Website: https://nexteinstein.org/
• 2025 Nairobi Workshop in Algebraic Geometry

  The 2025 Nairobi Workshop in Algebraic Geometry was opened on 15 September 2025 by HE Dr Christian Fellner, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to Kenya. This workshop was organised by Lead International Organiser Balazs Szendroi from the Faculty of Mathematics, University of Vienna, alongside a team of local organisers. It brings together 40 mathematicians from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi, Congo, South Africa, as well as Austria, Germany, UK and Italy. Financial support for the workshop came from the University of Vienna, the Clay Mathematics Institute, the International Science Programme of Uppsala University, the London Mathematical Society, the European Mathematical Society, and the University of Nairobi.

  Further information on Facebook.
• Uganda-Austria Collaboration in Algebra and Geometry

  Programme: ➥ africa-uninet

  Project: ➥ [P142] Uganda-Austria Collaboration in Algebra and Geometry

  University of Vienna, Graz University of Technology, Makerere University, Kabale University, Busitema University

  Point of contact: Prof. Balazs Szendroi