Association Kangourou sans Frontières (AKSF) is an international academic association founded in France and united by a shared belief: that mathematics, when approached with curiosity and imagination, can become a source of joy rather than anxiety.
For more than three decades, AKSF has brought together mathematicians, educators, and researchers from across the world, all committed to enriching mathematical education and fostering a positive perception of mathematics within schools and society. Today, the Kangaroo movement spans over 117 countries, engaging more than seven million students annually, making it the largest school-based mathematics competition in the world.
At the heart of AKSF’s work is the International Kangaroo Mathematics Competition (IKMC). Designed annually by an international academic committee, the competition presents carefully crafted multiple-choice problems for students across all school levels. These are not standard textbook exercises. Instead, they invite students to think differently — to recognise patterns, apply logic, exercise imagination, and approach problems with creativity and perseverance.
IKMC questions often include short narratives, unexpected ideas, and elegant solutions that encourage discussion beyond the classroom — among peers, teachers, and families alike. The emphasis is not on speed or memorisation, but on reasoning, insight, and the pleasure of discovery. In Kangaroo, mathematics becomes a language students enjoy exploring.
The development of competition problems is a truly global effort. Each year, hundreds of mathematicians and educators convene under the auspices of AKSF to debate, refine, and select questions that are conceptually rich, engaging, and accessible across diverse curricula and cultures. The same questions are then shared with participating countries worldwide, ensuring a common academic experience for students everywhere.
Alongside IKMC, the International Kangaroo Science Competition (IKSC) and the International Kangaroo Linguistics Competition (IKLC) are developed in collaboration with Sigma Publishing, an international academic association based in Europe, whose expertise supports the design of science and linguistics problem sets.
Chapter of Knowledge is the officially member of AKSF in the Bahrain, entrusted with organising and administering the International Kangaroo Mathematics Competition across participating schools and educational institutions in the country. Through this collaboration, ThinkTanks brings the global Kangaroo philosophy to the UAE — offering students an opportunity to engage with mathematics as a joyful, meaningful, and intellectually rewarding pursuit.
The Association Kangourou sans Frontières (AKSF) is an international academic association founded in France and dedicated to advancing mathematical thinking and problem-solving among school students worldwide.
To learn more about AKSF’s global role and academic contributions, you may explore the following resources:
