The next deadlines for Mathematics Insitutions in developing countries to apply for participation in the program are:

• March 1, 2019 for lectures held between July 1, 2019 and July 1, 2021
• June 1, 2019 for lectures held between October 1, 2019 and October 1, 2021
• September 1, 2019 for lectures held between January 1, 2020 and January 1, 2022
• December 1, 2019 for lectures held between April 1, 2020 and April 1, 2022
• March 1, 2020 for lectures held between July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2022

The Volunteer Lecturer Program (VLP) offers mathematics departments in universities in the developing world lecturers for intensive 3-4 week courses in mathematics at the advanced undergraduate or master's level.

Long-term goals of the VLP involve:

1. establishment of a critical mass of successful students of advanced mathematics in individual developing and less affluent countries, in particular countries who have so far small mathematical communities,
2. establishment of contacts between the research mathematics profession and the brightest young mathematical talent in developing countries,  
3. fostering research and international cooperation between developing and less affluent countries and the international mathematical community,  
4. increased collaboration between the mathematics research communities of countries in the developed world and the IMU, their international professional organization.

The course given by the volunteer should be part of a regular mathematics undergraduate or master degree program at the hosting university. Also courses for a Master of "Mathematics and Informatics” or similar are admissible. Unfortunately mathematics courses for an undergraduate or Master degree in Engineering or similar degrees are not permissible.

Since 2007 courses have been given in Africa, Central America, South East Asia and the Middle East on topics in core mathematics. In a few cases courses in mathematics for mathematics education (or in institutions for focusing on mathematics education) were given. 
 

The volunteer lecturer is chosen by the host institution from an online database of mathematician volunteer lecturers maintained by CDC.

The funds for all living expenses, including travel (up to USD 5000 in EUR) are provided by IMU/ CDC or its partner organizations. The volunteer lecturer’s home institution is requested to offer leave with pay during the lecturer’s 3-4 week absence.

The hosting university has no financial obligations, but is expected to provide a local assistant. 

Where warranted, continuing participation in the VLP by a single university in the developing world is encouraged.  For example, in collaboration with the French CIMPA program, the VLP has provided intensive courses to the Royal University of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, over the last several years. 

For information and registration for host institutions click here.

For information and registration for lecturers click here.

For information from previous courses (sorted by countries) click here.

IMU/ CDC welcomes applications by universities and mathematics degree programs in the developing world that are in need of, and can provide the necessary conditions for productive collaboration in the teaching of advanced mathematics. We seek universities interested to host a lecturer for intensive 3-4 week mathematics courses, at the advanced undergraduate or master level. The course given by the volunteer should be part of a regular mathematics undergraduate or master degree program at the hosting university. Also courses for a degree of "Mathematics and Informatics” or similar are admissible. Unfortunately mathematics courses for an undergraduate or Master degree in Engineering or similar degrees are not permissible.

Costs of the lecturer (up to USD 5000 paid in EUR) will be covered by IMU/ CDC. The host university will have no financial obligations toward the lecturer.   

Role and Requirements for the host university

The course should be

• in a university in a developing country (for a list of the CDC definition for developing countries please click here)
• an intensive 3-4 week course in mathematics for students of a mathematics degree
• include examinations
• be an integral component of a regular mathematics degree program at the host university
• Substantial course enrollment (15-20 students) has to be guaranteed.

The host university is expected to assign a local mathematics professor who will

• schedule the course and help the volunteer lecturer in preparing the course syllabus and assists when necessary during the course
• coordinate living arrangements and local transportation for the volunteer lecturer
• prepare the students for the course beforehand
• help with student mentoring and assessment and take care of any necessary follow up.

The Host Institution is also required to fill out a report form after the visit of the volunteer.

Who decides the course content?

The host university decides the course content and guides the volunteer towards desired syllabus.

"I am most thankful for the lecturers contribution towards properly operationalizing our MCCSE programs. The Volunteer Lecturer's proposal that we come up with an annual NMAIST conference series is wonderful, and meets my full support. We feel greatly honoured by his stay with us here at NM-AIST, and I am happy to note that he is pleased to be part of the NM-AIST Family."

_{Burton LM Mwamila, Vice Chancellor NM AIST-Arusha, one of the VLP Host Institutions in 2011}

The CDC Volunteer Lecturer Database contains a large database of the mathematicians willing to volunteer and includes the mathematician's curriculum vitae (CV), the areas of mathematics in which they are prepared to teach, language abilities, typical dates of availability, and previous experience. You need to log in here, to see the Volunteer Lecturer Database. If you are not yet registered on the IMU website, please register first here.

Lecturers interested to participate in the program, should read the guidelines for lecturers and register here.

The initiation of the Volunteer Lecturer Program was inspired by the programs of the Centre International de Mathématiques Pures et Appliquées (CIMPA) at the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) in Cambodia, the London Mathematical Society's Mentoring African Research in Mathematics (MARM) program, and the Norwegian Program for Development, Research and Education (NUFU) with southern African universities. 

At the invitation of the Cambodian Mathematical Society, USNC/Math Chair and first CDC Secretary for Policy (2010-2015) Herbert Clemens (USA) traveled to Cambodia in early 2007.  Prof. Clemens was asked by French and Cambodian mathematicians for assistance and guidance in teaching short intensive courses at the advanced undergraduate level in a Masters degree program organized by the Centre International de Mathématiques Pures et Appliquées (CIMPA) with input from the French government at the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP). Based on the experience of this visit in the summer of 2007, the American Mathematical Society (AMS) disseminated a USNC/Math appeal to U.S. mathematics department chairs that detailed the purpose of the program and invited U.S. mathematicians to participate as volunteers.  The appeal immediately received 50 viable responses. Following the responses the Volunteer Lecturer Program (VLP) was established in 2008 by International Mathematical Union (IMU) and the U.S./IMU Adhering Body (USNCM). During 2010-2012 the US Board on International Scientific Organizations received a grant from NSF to establish an on-going program and supported 10 lecturers (from the US) per year. Since 2010 lecturers come from all over the world.