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Research CentresThe IMS also plays a role in promoting mathematicsto the general public, emphasising its fundamentalimportance for modern society. Often such discussionsare sparked by educational issues such as unusually lowperformance of students in the end of school certificateexams or by (proposed) changes to the mathematicalcurriculum. Research funding, or rather the lack of it, hasbecome a general problem for mathematics, in particularthe less applied strands, but the small voice of the IMS isoften not listened to. Recent new policies and strategicchanges in the main Irish funding body, the Irish ScienceFoundation, has resulted in a draught for PhD studentfunding. This may create a serious problem for Irishmathematics in the medium term.In compiling the above historic information, I couldfortunately draw on an excellent survey by the late T. T.West: The origins of the IMS, Irish Math. Soc. Bull. 51(2003), 73–75.Martin Mathieu studied at the Universityof Tübingen, Germany, where heobtained his doctoral degree in 1987and his Habilitation in 1991. He hasheld positions at the University in Saarbrücken,Germany, the University ofIowa, USA, the National University ofIreland, Maynooth, and since 1998 hehas been at Queen’s University Belfast. He was elected aMember of the Royal Irish Academy in 2010 and presentlyserves as President of the IMS (2013–2014). His researchinterests lie at the interface of analysis and algebra,notably operator theory on C*-algebras and noncommutativering theory.The Mediterranean Institute for theMathematical SciencesSadok Kallel (MIMS Director)The Mediterranean Institutefor the Mathematical Sciences(MIMS) is a newbornin the world of mathematicalinstitutes around the world. Itwas created in January 2012 in the capital city of Tunis,Tunisia, under the initiative of a number of mathematiciansfrom a few universities around the country and outside.It held its first major activity in June of that year inthe form of a conference on Operads and ConfigurationSpaces, the proceedings of which are now published.The inaugural conference of MIMS was held in Tunisin October 2012. Close to 200 participants were presentin the main amphitheatre of the Cité des Sciences, thelargest science hub in the country. The plenary speaker,also honorary chairman of MIMS, was Sir Michael Atiyah,who spoke about beauty and mathematics. Sincethen, MIMS has been an active and important additionto the mathematical landscape south of the Mediterraneanand in the MENA region.Cité des Sciences, TunisInaugural conference with Sir M. F. AtiyahMIMS is a private and non-profit institution. It hasa multifaceted mission which is articulated around twomajor themes: Mathematical Research and MathematicalEducation.Mathematical ResearchMIMS offers logistics and a stimulating environment forcollaboration and for interaction between faculty membersand students. One of the main motivational factorsfor launching MIMS was to cater to the sizable communityof North African mathematicians working abroad,many of whom look for better ways to connect back withTunisia and the Maghreb. At this stage, MIMS is locatedat the Cité des Sciences and uses amenities consisting oftwo amphitheatres, various seminar rooms, a buffet stylecafeteria and a student dormitory, which MIMS has beenusing for its junior guests.MIMS holds several annual activities that attract agrowing number of participants, from Tunisia but alsofrom neighbouring Algeria and Morocco. The MIMSInternational Conference is held once a year on themesEMS Newsletter December 2014 51