The African Society in Digital Sciences (computer science, mathematics, telecommunications, robotics, …) and their applications is a Pan-African organization. It is an autonomous Africa-wide, professional, non-political, and non-profit making digital sciences organization.

Indeed, specialists in the disciplines of digital sciences have complementary skills to address the challenges posed by for example high-performance computing, modelling of complex systems, artificial intelligence (machine learning, deep learning, NLP, recommender systems, etc.) and computer security (through cryptography or program certification). Together, they are building a scientific approach based on alternating stages of modelling, development and experimentation, implementing a multidisciplinary approach, and working in project teams with the necessary skills. This learned society wants to represent and support this scientific community in Africa.

ESTABLISHMENT, NATURE, OBJECTIVES

ASDS is an autonomous, non-political and non-profit scientific organization, independent of state institutions and established by scientists from all-over the world, who develop excellence on subjects relevant to Africa and adhere to a number of values : access to digital resources for all, open science, open data, frugal digital sciences, digital ethics, scientific integrity, scientific excellence, equal opportunities for women and minorities, balanced and fruitful South-North and South-South partnerships.

The African Society in Digital Sciences (ASDS) is established with the overall objective of promoting and sustaining the fruitful cooperation between scientists in the field of digital sciences that are strongly transforming societies, economies and governments today. In furtherance of this main objective, the Society has the following missions :

• Support research in the discipline of Digital Sciences
• Position itself at the interface between the academic and industrial worlds as well as international organizations
• Make academic voices heard in society and promote critical thinking and scientific method (project team, multidisciplinary modelling, development and experimentation loop)
• Promote and support the archiving and development of knowledge and know-how (seminars, MOOCS, educational resources, …)
• Contribute to the definition of international standards and policies in digital sciences
• Foster collaborations between researchers from the African continent and those from the Diaspora
• Promote cooperation projects between African institutions and organizations from other continents
• Contribute to the achievement of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 in the field of Science, Technology and Innovation, and more particularly all aspects related to digital sciences.

The working languages of the ASDS is English and French, but an effort will be made to translate documents into other African Union working languages, whenever possible.

MEMBERSHIP

The Membership of ASDS consists of active individuals and organizations that have made significant contribution to digital sciences in Africa or for the benefit of Africa and subscribe to the present statutes. ASDS membership comprises the following categories :

Fellow membership

This category of members consists of scientists and professionals working in the development and applications of digital sciences. Applications for admission as fellow members are considered by the General Assembly, and proposed to the Executive Committee by one and seconded by another fellow member of ASDS, at least one (1) month prior to the meeting of the General Assembly. Joining and annual fees for fellow members, is set by the General Assembly of ASDS.

Honorary membership

This category of members consists of persons who have made significant contribution to the objectives of ASDS. Admission to honorary membership is by invitation of the General Assembly on proposition of the Executive Committee. Such members may be invited to attend the General Assembly as observers, but they may not vote.

Corporate Members

This category of members consists of Academic institutions that operate in the domain of digital sciences and accept to engage in a close partnership with ASDS:

• Digital Sciences Associations (National or Subregional)
• Higher Education Institutions that have departments of Digital Sciences
• Digital Academic Departments/Faculties in Higher Institutions
• Research Institutes and laboratories that make use of digital sciences and its applications
• National Student Associations of Digital Sciences
• Companies carrying out work in the area of Digital Sciences.
• Etc.

Such members may be invited to attend the General Assembly as observers, but they may not vote.

ASDS may admit as Young Affiliates, early career African scientists and professionals, especially Master, PhD and Post Doc students not more than 30 years old, who have made promising productions in the domain of digital sciences. A young affiliate cannot be a member of the Society.

ORGANS OF THE SOCIETY

The main organs of the ASDS are

a) The General Assembly: the supreme decision-making organ of the Association to which the Executive Committee is responsible; The General Assembly of the ASDS is made up of all Fellow Members of ASDS. It meets at least once every year. An extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly may be called by the Executive Committee either on its own initiative, or upon the request of two-thirds of members.

b) The Executive Committee : runs ASDS between the meetings of the General Assembly.The Executive Committee is composed of

• one President
• one Secretary General
• one Treasurer
• seven Vice-Presidents from each sub-region, African Diaspora in Europe and African Diaspora in North America.