Recent developments in quantum technology are bringing the world closer to a new technological revolution – the advent of usable quantum computers able to provide enormous acceleration to important computational tasks. In coming years, quantum computing is expected to have a significant impact on many areas of research that can utilise computational modelling. 

Significant efforts and investments are currently underway in Europe to bolster skills and capacity within quantum computing, as outlined in a recent ENCCS blog post (https://enccs.se/news/2023/06/european-hpc-quantum-computing-infrastructure/). 

As a further step in that direction, ENCCS is now again joining forces with the Wallenberg Centre of Quantum Technologies (WACQT) and the Nordic/Baltic NordIQuEst project to deliver a three-day autumn school covering the fundamentals of quantum computing. 

WACQT is a national research programme, coordinated from Chalmers, that aims to take Swedish research and industry to the forefront of quantum technology. Their main project is to develop a high-end quantum computer that can solve problems far beyond the reach of the best conventional supercomputers.

NordΙQuEst brings together a consortium of seven partners from five Nordic and Baltic countries to connect world leading traditional HPC resources and quantum computers across national borders with the aim to establish a quantum computing platform customised to the needs of the region.

In addition to WACQT and NordIQuEst, the school will also be visited by and contributed to by experts from Algorithmiq, a Finnish startup which aims to revolutionise life sciences by exploiting the potential of quantum computing to solve currently inaccessible problems.

The school will cover: 

• Introduction to key concepts: quantum states, qubits, quantum algorithms
• Overview of the main QC hardware approaches. 
• Overview of the QC software stack.
• Integration of QC with classical computing: hybrid classical/quantum algorithms and HPC-QC systems. 
• QC programming in high-level languages for use cases in optimisation, finance, life science and quantum chemistry.

Morning lectures will be combined with afternoon hands-on sessions where participants learn to use high-level QC programming languages using either simulators or real quantum computers.

Format

The main attendance mode of the autumn school will be on-site at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg. On-site participants will also be treated to social and networking events and a guided tour to see the QAL9000 quantum computer at Chalmers. However, seminars and hands-on sessions will also be broadcast live for online participants who will be able to participate actively in the school through live Q&A and chat. 

Prerequisites

For the hands-on training sessions, basic familiarity with Python and some experience working in a Unix environment are desirable. No previous experience with quantum computers expected.