We all know mathematics is life, this question is for Mankind. It's mathoverflow here when some parts of the world we have mathunderflow! I think we can do something through ideas. A similar question "Good ways to engage in mathematics outreach" has been featured but this is a different question all together.
In this question, am interested in understanding what the so called super countries in mathematics done right utilizing the little resources they have in the promotion(development) of mathematics. How can very young country (mathematics development is wanting, the research output is low, some fundamental courses are not even taught at the first place due to lack of resource persons) move on? What are some of the ideas which have helped countries with a small economy grow? Are there mathematicians who have been involved in development of mathematics in developing/ less developed countries which are experiencing an upward trend? How did you do it?
Best Answer
Dear Ongaro Nyang'
Although Israel is no longer so young, it was young, (even younger than most other countries,) not so long ago, and it is a small and rather isolated place, with some difficulties. So some lessons from Israeli mathematics, especially in its early days may be relevant.
1. Immigration
Israeli mathematics was initially based on and had benefited all the times from immigration of mathematicians to Israel. The ability to absorb immigration, in general, and to attract and absorb immigrating scientists, in particular, is crucial.(Keeping the relations with mathematicians who immigrated from Israel is also an important issue.)
Investing resources is, of course, crucial. There was a large public investment in universities in Israel's first years even when the country itself was in rather bad economic shape. Overall, theoretical academic subjects like mathematics are "cheaper." Keeping the right balances regarding policies for spending the money is very important.
Let me mention two items.
2. Sabbatical/Travel money
1.1 Good Sabbatical opportunities: Israeli mathematicians (and scientists in general) had relatively good sabbatical terms which make it possible for them to get (from the Israeli institution) a reasonable European/US salary while in sabbatical abroad. This was especially effective when the Israeli salaries were very low compared to salaries abroad. The academic system is built on 15% or so of the faculty being on sabbatical at any time. (Often people spend additional time abroad on leave.)
2.2 In addition, Israeli scientist (with academic university positions) and graduate students (who works as T.A.'s) have funds for short-term travels: (Fixed amounts depending on the academic rank per year) This enable participation in conferences and joint research.
Both the sabbatical and travel money apply to all people with academic positions (Sabbatical only to lecturer/asst professor position and above) and are essentially automatic. (Minimal amount of bureaucracy, no committees to judge qualification and to decide on amounts, no requirement to be an invited speaker in a conference, etc. etc..)
3. Salaries
Keeping the right balances when it comes to salaries is also important. Low salary gives incentives to leave but very high salaries (compared to average salaries in the country) are morally problematic and may give incentive for corrupting the hiring and promoting system. The salary system in Israel is based on essentially equal salary for equal academic rank and (overall) there are no substantial salary awards for academic excellence beside the academic rank. (There is some (modest) awards for people getting external grants and larger but still rather small for people serving in administrative positions.)
I think that not having overly differential salaries and not being "in the game" of offers and counteroffers is actually beneficial.
4. Activities for national math society
There are, since early times, regular annual meeting of the Israeli Mathematics Union and some other local activities.
5. National mathematical journal
There was a substantial effort, again from early times,
to create and maintain an Israeli journal of mathematics. (In the 40th there was even a professional research level journal in Hebrew for a few years.)
6. Conferences and visitors.
There was, again from early times, some resources devoted to conferences and visitors. Carefully administered and with attention to the added value for the local people this can be very fruitful.
Arranging visits of top people in mathematics for lecture series and visits can also be useful. It seems that it is a good policy (when the country is not rich) not to over-pay for such visitors (among other reasons, because this set standards which push the cost of visitors in general too high.)
Of course, warm hospitality is priceless.
7. Maintaining a sense of tradition.
Basing activities on areas with long tradition of success which are identified with the country's mathematical strength can be a successful and well excepted by the whole mathematical community.
8. Self-breeding can work
The success of Israeli mathematical departments was largely based on successful self-breeding, namely absorbing as faculty member people who graduated at the department.
9. Self-confidence, Tolerance for "sporadic"(or non-main stream) areas (and tolerance in general)
This seems to me a strength of Israeli mathematics and looks (to me) a good attitude especially for a peripheral and somewhat isolated place. Tolerance is important especially since mathematical quality is rather high dimensional (some dimensions being importance/depth/visibility/applicability/usefulness.)
(There is also complete tolerance and essentially indifference in the context of mathematical life towards matters of politics, attitude towards religion, etc, issues that Israel is very torn apart about.)
10. Patience, realistic goals, unrealistic dreams
Building a good mathematical activity takes time, and there are ups and downs as well.
11. Issues concerning high school mathematics
There is some efforts to promote interest in mathematics among gifted high school students: special mathematical journal (in Hebrew), some "clubs" and "summer camps" math Olympiads etc. I think this had some factor in promoting math among young people. Usually, what it takes is some mathematician in academics which is devoted to this issue and some (not large) budget. Giving an incentive for such an activity and such a mathematician may be a good idea. Popular Math books and text books in Hebrew had substantial influence. A. Frankel (the set theorist) wrote wonderful five-volume Hebrew books introducing mathematics (It was called "An Introduction to Mathematics") in the 40s/50s. (More recently, the Hebrew edition of Singh's book on Wiles proof of FLT increased popularity of mathematics.)
12. Relation with CS, physics and other disciplines
In Israel CS department were largely built out of math departments (not electrical engineering) and there are still strong academic ties between these communities. Connection with CS seems valuable. Of course, relations with physics are very important (not so strong in Israel). Relations between math and economics seems strong in Israel. (In Jerusalem there is an interdisciplinary "center for rationality" which involves people from math/economics and some from statistics/psychology/philosophy/law/biology.)
In summary, when it comes to mathematical life in a small somewhat isolated and at times a bit troubled place, it seems that it is valuable to make the right balances in the local mathematical community between competition and solidarity, to practice a lot of patience and tolerance, to be open to new people and new directions, and to be careful about incentives.
Like in Brazil the efforts of few pivotals mathematicians was very crucial.
As usual, luck is useful too. Good luck.