Schools

Where scientific foundations become research practice.

Every ASESMA edition since the first school in 2010, the core curriculum, regional schools, and open teaching materials.

School Archives

Learning moves. The network remains.

Every edition brings the school to a new African research community, while teaching materials and collaborations continue to travel.

Participants, lecturers, and organizers gathered for the ASESMA 2025 group photo at the University of Ghana
ASESMA 2025 · University of Ghana, Accra
8th Edition One school.
Many future collaborations.

Lecturers, mentors, and participants at the latest biennial school.

All editions

Dates, venues, and summaries of every ASESMA school, with links to the official ICTP records.

Research Areas

A curriculum built from first principles.

ASESMA concentrates on theory and computational methods for predicting and understanding properties of materials through calculations at the fundamental level of electronic structure.

Every topic pairs rigorous theory with hands-on tutorials using open-source scientific codes.

01

Electronic Structure Theory

From quantum mechanics to predictive models of matter.

02

Density Functional Theory

Ground-state properties, functionals, and practical calculation.

03

Phonon Dynamics

Lattice vibrations and thermal properties of crystals.

04

Magnetism

Spin-dependent phenomena and magnetic materials.

05

Molecular Dynamics

Enhanced sampling and ab-initio simulations.

06

Materials Properties

Structural, mechanical, and optical behaviour.

07

Machine Learning

Data-driven approaches for materials discovery.

08

Quantum Computing

New computational approaches for materials science.

Regional Schools

Regional schools & workshops

Between the biennial schools, regional schools and focused workshops bring ASESMA teaching closer to more research communities. CASESMA (Central Africa, 2018–2024) and SASESMA (Southern Africa) are part of the wider ASESMA Galaxy.

University of Ghana, Accra, Ghanamini-ASESMA2026
Ibadan, NigeriaMachine Learning Mini-School2024
Nairobi, KenyaMany-Body Theory Calculations2023
Addis Ababa, EthiopiaEnergy Technologies2021
Nairobi, KenyaDFT with SIESTA Code2021
Pretoria, South AfricaSASESMA - Southern African School2019
Open Resources

Teaching materials

Lecture notes, tutorials, and codes from ASESMA schools are published openly in the asesma-org GitHub organisation.

ASESMA 2025Accra, Ghanagithub.com/asesma-org/ASESMA2025 ↗ ASESMA 2023Kigali, Rwandagithub.com/asesma-org/ASESMA2023 ↗ ASESMA 2018Addis Ababa, Ethiopiagithub.com/asesma-org/ASESMA2018 ↗ ASESMA 2016Accra, Ghanagithub.com/asesma-org/ASESMA2016 ↗ mini-ASESMA 2026Accra, Ghanagithub.com/asesma-org/miniASESMA2026 ↗ ASESMA posterPoster materialsgithub.com/asesma-org/poster ↗

Materials from the 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2021 schools are not yet in the GitHub organisation.