Quantum Technology Education Consortium between Norway, South America and Cuba (QTECNOS)

Summary

We propose to improve the current situation with education in quantum technology, both at Global South and in Norway; via Quantum Technology Education Consortium between Norway, South America, and Cuba (QTECNOS). The specific focus is on understanding physics and mastering quantum materials fabrication employing both computational and experimental methods, laying the foundation for educating students in this field. The University of Oslo in Norway and four partners from Global South establish QTECNOS; specifically, the Universidad del Valle (Colombia), the Association of Colombian State Universities of the Caribbean (Colombia), the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (Peru) and the University of Havana (Cuba). Even though there are relevant ongoing activities at each site of the QTECNOS partners, there is a demand for more systematic approach. The QTECNOS approach is to work out an annual curriculum containing advanced courses and focused research training for MSc students. For that reason, we engaged students into long and short-term mobility between Global South and Norway. Annual workshops/schools with participation of traveling professors will be an integrated part of the QTECNOS curriculum. Importantly, to make a strategic step towards creating a critical mass academic environment on the quantum technology in Global South we additionally educate 4 MSc students from Global South in Norway within relevant 2-year programs at the University of Oslo. The QTECNOS success indicators will be both the study credits collected by the students from the courses and publications gained via focused research training. To ensure the transfer of industrially relevant skills and broader dissemination, we allied with Nordic Quantum Computing Group in Norway and the Cuban Physical Society in Global South. Importantly, we plan QTECNOS as an “inclusive” activity with the potential to include students from other universities in Norway and/or the Global South.