Royal Holloway has been named in a UK Government announcement of five research hubs to develop quantum technologies.
The announcement comes as part of the National Quantum Strategy, to increase computing power, impact healthcare, enable precise sensors and improved communications, and contribute to sustainability, for example through materials discovery. The National Quantum Strategy is supported by £2.5bn investment over 10 years.
The Quantum Computing via Integrated and Interconnected Implementations (QCI3) Hub, in which Royal Holloway is a partner, will be delivered by the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The five Hubs will be supported by a total investment of £106 million from EPSRC, the UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Research Council, UKRI Medical Research Council, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research.
The QCI3 Hub is led by the University of Oxford to train a new generation of quantum experts to help grow the UK’s industry, as well as develop technologies for building quantum computers, advancing UK capabilities across hardware and software and targeting applications in a wide range of industry sectors.
The Centre for Advanced Quantum Science and Technology at Royal Holloway spans research on superconducting quantum bits, superconducting quantum sensors for applications including metrology, quantum theory and modelling, including machine learning, quantum networks and cryptography, and fundamentals of quantum computing. It collaborates closely with the National Physical Laboratory, international partners and industrial partners.
Professor John Saunders, from the Centre for Advanced Quantum Science and Technology and Department of Physics at Royal Holloway, said: “Partnership in the QCI3 Hub will contribute to integrating this research at Royal Holloway within the UK Quantum Ecosystem, and support our training of a new generation of quantum aware scientists and engineers for the UK quantum workforce.”
Professor Dominic O’Brien, Director of the QCI3 Hub, added: “The QCI3 Hub brings together industry, academia, government and partners to deliver new applications, ideas and innovations that will advance the field of quantum computing, impacting areas such as materials science, chemistry, finance and logistics.
“The Hub will train a new generation of scientists and engineers, providing the critical skills for a UK quantum economy, whilst also developing the commercial skills needed for those looking to play key roles in the UK’s growing quantum industry.
“Our rich partner network will ensure our research is grounded around real-world problems and that we are able to transfer technology out of the lab to make meaningful impact.”
