European universities, including CTU, unite to educate the quantum experts of the future

Several European universities, including CTU, through the Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering (FNSPE), have joined the European Quantum Flagship's QTEdu Open Master project. The aim of the universities and other participating organizations is to train quantum experts who will be needed for the ongoing development of quantum technologies.

"Quantum technologies are now in a similar situation to the internet in the early 1990s. We already know that quantum technologies are the technologies of tomorrow and are very likely to be widely applied across a variety of spheres. All the powers that be, including the European Union, are aware of this and we are happy to be there and participate in this," says doc. Vojtěch Petráček, Rector of CTU in Prague.

In the QTEdu program, the participating institutions offer students a wide range of courses in quantum technologies as well as the opportunity to get involved in research projects. On Monday, 6 December 2021, an online kick-off meeting will take place from 16.00, during which the QTEdu Open Master program will be introduced. At CTU, the QTOM is primarily aimed at students from FNSPE, but also students from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and the Faculty of Information Technology.

"Right at the beginning, several universities, such as the University of Copenhagen, the University of Amsterdam or the University of Helsinki, or our very own FNSPE, will offer several seminars in different areas of quantum technology. Students can sign up for them and can get credits for completing them," explains Aurél Gábris from the Department of Physics at FNSPE, who is one of the coordinators of the QTEdu Open Master program and also the point of contact for those interested from the Czech Republic.

A number of universities already offer several research projects within the QTEdu program for both Master's and Bachelor's students. "This is a great opportunity to work on a topic that contributes to the development of quantum technologies in Europe," adds Aurél Gábris.

The QTEdu program is part of the Quantum Flagship project supported by the European Commission with €1.5 billion in funding. It aims to provide university students across Europe with opportunities to study quantum technologies in their entirety and gain valuable research experience from leading experts, regardless of where they are from.

Starting in January 2022, QTOM will launch an extensive internship program that will give students both remote and face-to-face exposure to cutting-edge research in quantum technologies. The communication language of the project is English.

For more information and a range of courses and research programs, please visit qtom.qtedu.eu.

Quantum Flagship to put the EU at the forefront of quantum technology development

The Quantum Flagship project is one of the biggest European programs aimed at catching up with quantum technology developments in countries such as the US and China. The Quantum Flagship aims to bring quantum technologies out of the lab and into industry and to strengthen and consolidate research in this field across Europe, so that Europe is at the forefront of the second quantum revolution.

While the First Quantum Revolution allowed us to understand the laws of physics in microscopic space and brought some breakthrough technologies such as the transistor or the laser, the Second Quantum Revolution is enabled by the improving ability to manipulate quantum phenomena in specially designed systems and materials. The impact of this revolution is expected to be groundbreaking, in many different areas from quantum computers to quantum communication and sensors. They are aiming to find applications in high-performance computing, security, communication, but also in chemistry, pharmaceuticals and many other fields. The implementation of the new technologies arising from the second quantum revolution will not only improve existing technologies but will very likely bring some entirely new possibilities.

Europe currently lags behind the United States, Japan, Canada or China. The involvement of the Czech Republic in this project is a unique opportunity for the development of quantum technologies and industry in the Czech Republic.