Besides developing the network-provider hardware and the single-photon detector, the skQCI project will fulfil another important task – creating a systematic training base for technical and research staff and students who want to specialize in quantum technologies.

Quantum technologies are at the intersection of physics, engineering, and computer science, thus merging together not only different research methodologies but also different education programs. The creation of quantum technology curricula is beyond our individual faculties and universities, and this project aims to initiate the focused cooperation of individual activities of various universities and institutes of the Slovak Academy of Sciences in order to design a multidisciplinary master and engineering quantum technologies program for all degrees of the university education.

The goals of the eduQUTE are:

Creating of educational system in the field of quantum technologies
Quantum technologies intersect the field of engineering, physics, mathematics, and informatics. Therefore, the creation of such an educational program goes well beyond faculties and even beyond the capabilities of individual universities. The national QUTE platform will ensure the cooperation of universities and relevant institutes of the Slovak Academy of Sciences on elaborating an interdisciplinary combined master and engineering study plans for quantum technologies, which will be a natural extension of existing activities.

Establishment of a doctoral school
The doctoral students of the platform partners will form a doctoral school, within which education will take place in the form of summer schools, which will be open to foreign participants and at which foreign lecturers will give lectures. It will also include full financial support for a four-month internship (for domestic doctoral students) at a foreign workplace. We will try to create a European training center in quantum technologies, which would provide theoretical training for QF and would be co-financed by European sources. Today, there are conditions for such an educational center to be established in the Research Center for Quantum Information – a research institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, which has experience organizing scientific events, including summer and winter schools.

The aim of establishing such a center is a qualitative shift in the level of education of Slovak students. Lectures by leading European experts in the field will be invaluable to the students of the platform and, at the same time, make Slovak science and Slovakia itself visible. The doctoral school will include the creation of a system of awarding internationally competitive scholarships to motivate students to choose the field of quantum technology.

Designing of fellowship programs
In Slovakia, there is practically no stable way to support postdoctoral positions despite the fact that postdoctoral students are the main research force. Our goal is to create a system that would allow the opening of internationally competitive postdoctoral positions – fellowQUTE program. Individual partner organizations will apply for these positions in an open competition. On top of that we will support the research mobility by mobiQUTE program providing full financial support for up to four months research visits – both incoming and outgoing.

Popularization and awareness-raising activities
Regular lectures for the public and targeted lectures for potential industrial partners and users of quantum technologies. The public opening of individual components of the quantum network and launch of the detector.

Find out more about our events

Events

What has been achieved?

While the other parts of skQCI focused on building the technology and infrastructure, eduQUTE focused on building the people and skills needed to use, develop and maintain it.

Throughout the project, the consortium worked with universities, researchers, students, industry and public institutions to strengthen quantum education in Slovakia. Activities ranged from university courses and hands-on training to international summer schools, dedicated support for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers and expert consultations.

Education Activities Report (D 4.2)

Coordinating university education

The project brought together Slovak universities and research institutions to coordinate and strengthen education in quantum technologies. Partners worked on integrating specialised topics such as quantum communication, quantum computing, quantum optics, quantum photonics and quantum information into existing Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes.

The work also supported the preparation of new interdisciplinary education, including a proposed Master’s programme in quantum technologies at Comenius University Bratislava and the development of a certified interdisciplinary course at Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice.

International cooperation with FH Technikum Wien further expanded opportunities for joint educational activities and student training.

Key results: 

  • a coordinated national platform for university-level quantum education was established
  • connecting Slovak universities with research institutions and international partners.

Quantum Technologies Summer School

The Quantum Technologies Summer School became one of the flagship educational activities of eduQUTE. It combined advanced lectures with hands-on laboratory sessions, demonstrations and workshops involving researchers and industry partners.

Participants gained practical experience with technologies including quantum communication, quantum optics and quantum computing, connecting theoretical knowledge with real experiments and research infrastructure.

The summer school became an established annual international training platform and created an international environment where students and young researchers interested in quantum technologies could meet experts and build new scientific connections,

Key results: 

PhdQUTE scholarships

The phdQUTE programme supported the development of the next generation of quantum researchers by creating doctoral opportunities directly connected to quantum technologies. Rather than creating a single centralised recruitment scheme, the programme was implemented through the participating institutions in accordance with national rules for doctoral education.

Partner institutions opened 11 doctoral positions in areas including quantum communication, quantum optics, quantum photonics and quantum information processing.

Key results:

skQCI project directly contributed to scholarships of following PhD students:

  • Ieline Ahmed (advisor Mario Ziman) – Towards device-independent cryptography
  • Younes Benamara* (advisor Djeylan Aktas) – Photonic source of entangled pairs of qubits.
  • Martin Baránek (advisor Miroslav Grajcar)
  • Kamil Goliáš (advisor Peter Skyba)
  • Samuel Kern (advisor Miroslav Grajcar)
  • Denisa Lampášová* (advisor Mario Ziman)
  • Chan-Hyun Pak** (advisor Djeylan Aktas)
  • Oleksandr Podopryhora* (advisor Peter Skyba)
  • Magdaléna Poláčková (advisor Miroslav Grajcar)
  • Samgeeth Pulyiyl (advisor Mario Ziman) – Communication matrices under the noise
  • Tony Thomas* (advisor Djeylan Aktas)

* quit PhD for personal reasons
**decided not to start

FellowQUTE scholarships

The fellowQUTE programme was created to attract talented postdoctoral researchers to Slovakia and strengthen international research cooperation, providing them with funding and an environment to further develop their research, strengthen international collaboration.

The programme offered an international fellowship opportunity for postdoctoral researchers interested in continuing their research at QUTE.sk partner institutions. The first call was launched in 2024, with transparent eligibility and evaluation procedures established for future calls, resulted in two fellows, Marián Janík and Ryszard Pawel Kostecki, who were both successfully selected and accepted for QUTE fellowship funding. 

See the results of Marián Janík →
See the results of Ryszard Pawel Kostecki →

Importantly, the programme was designed to continue beyond the skQCI project, with its long-term financial sustainability supported by QUTE.sk. Next fellowQUTE Call is scheduled to be open in October 2026.

Key results: 

Consultation and training services

eduQUTE also brought quantum technologies beyond universities. The project developed specialised training materials and consultation services for industry, cybersecurity professionals, public authorities and other organisations interested in quantum technologies.

The training packages cover topics such as quantum communication, quantum computing and quantum-safe cybersecurity and are designed for different levels of expertise – from introductory awareness to more advanced, practical training. The programmes can be adapted to the needs of specific organisations and delivered in flexible formats.

Expert consultations complemented the training activities, creating opportunities to discuss practical applications, challenges and future use cases of quantum technologies.

Explore QUTE.sk services for industry →
Explore the quantum training programmes →

Key results: 

  • a dedicated portfolio of training packages was developed to help organisations build knowledge
  • expert consultation services provided to prepare for the transition to quantum technologies

See the list of training activities delivered →

Targeted publicity missions

Quantum technologies were introduced to audiences far beyond the research community. eduQUTE supported a broad programme of public engagement, school activities, science festivals, lectures and demonstrations across Slovakia.

The project team participated in events such as the European Researchers’ Night, OpenSlava, the Week of Science and Technology and World Quantum Day, while dedicated activities brought quantum science directly to high schools and communities outside the main academic centres. The KVANTA virtual classroom and the Quantum Slovakia Expedition helped make quantum concepts accessible to younger students and the general public.

As part of the UNESCO International Year of Quantum Science and Technology 2025, the project team also organised and participated in a series of public activities highlighting quantum science, quantum communication and their potential applications.

Explore our activities during the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology 2025 →

Media communication further extended the reach of the project. skQCI experts appeared in television and radio programmes, newspapers, online media, podcasts and public discussions, including coverage by STVR, TV JOJ, Markíza, Radio Devín and TA3. The project also produced interviews, videos, laboratory demonstrations and other multimedia content for wider dissemination.

Explore skQCI media and news coverage →

To further strengthen public awareness of quantum technologies, the IP SAS and QUTE.sk monthly contributed to the popular science magazine Quark. The published articles presented the principles, applications and societal relevance of quantum technologies in an accessible manner, helping to increase quantum literacy among the general public while promoting the activities and achievements of the skQCI project and QUTE.sk.

Read the Quantum World popular →

Key results: 

  • 3,5 years of recurring participation in major public science and technology events,
  • direct outreach to thousands of participants,
  • extensive media coverage reaching audiences across Slovakia.
  • public demonstrations of quantum communication using QKD demonstration
Outreach Activities Report (D 4.3)