EMS Handbook: Standing Committees

2.3.3 Developing Countries

The purpose of the Committee for Developing Countries (CDC) is to assist institutions, and individual mathematicians, based in the Global South to foster international collaborations, to develop curricula, to build capacity via Masters and PhD training, to expand libraries and access to other types of information, and to support centres of excellence. Its activities include the following:

  • Coordination of, and dissemination of information about, Europe-wide activities to support mathematics research and training in the Global South.
  • Mobilisation of funds for junior and senior researchers to organise mathematical events in the Global South, and to conduct research visits and attend conferences worldwide.
  • Help to foster regional centres and networks of excellence, in particular through the EMS ERCE (Emerging Regional Centres of Excellence) programme.
  • Support for efforts to build up mathematics MSc and PhD programmes of international standard in the Global South, including special courses in areas of mathematics in which there is no local expertise.
  • Provision of information to students from the Global South (in particular holders of MSc degrees) about routes to ambitious international PhD programmes, including funding.
  • Help to build up libraries through donations from colleagues in developed countries; supply mathematical literature upon request by institutions and/or individual researchers in the Global South; negotiate with publishers on special book rates.
  • Support for mathematics curriculum development for universities in the Global South.
Guidelines and procedures

The CDC consists of Full and Associated Members. It has a Chair (elected by EMS EC upon recommendation by the CDC) and Vice-Chair (elected by the CDC). It can create subcommittees to coordinate different tasks.

The CDC meets twice every year, usually in April and October (one remote and one in-person meeting). Both Full and Associated members are invited to the Open section of each meeting. The CDC can also seek advice from external experts, and invite them to the Open section as appropriate. Final decisions, including on financial matters, are taken at a concluding Closed session, attended by Full members only.