Generation Quantum: A pan-European doctoral programme to train the future generation of quantum engineers in Europe

Objective

Gen-Q is a doctoral programme for 51 doctoral candidates (DC) providing interdisciplinary, intersectoral and international training in the field of quantum science and technologies (QST) with the aim to provide the European Research Area with the urgently needed work force in this field of international relevance. The Coordinator is the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) Eucor, The European Campus consisting of five universities located in France, Germany, and Switzerland. For Gen-Q, Eucor teams up with the University of Amsterdam (Netherlands) and the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (Poland) from the European University Alliance EPICUR, in which the Eucor universities are members. Fellows will choose their research projects among 71 topics and will be enrolled in one of the partaking universities. They will receive training in a multi-layered programme including secondments and access to state-of-the-art research infrastructures. DCs will get a competitive 4-year employment contract with the corresponding social security provisions. Gen-Q is in line with the European Charter for Researchers, the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers and designed after the European Research Framework for research career development. With a budget of 5.145.600 EUR from Participating Institutions, 3.528.000 EUR from Switzerland as Associated Partner, the Gen-Q 5 years programme offers one call and one reserve call for candidates from the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. The scientific focus lies on the four challenges of QST: (1) Overcoming noise in quantum devices; (2) Scaling up complexity in qubits and sensors; (3) Developing Quantum hardware: interfaces, modularity, enabling technologies; (4) Developing quantum software and hybrid computing. The COFUND support serves as a nucleus for doctoral education across borders, creates synergies among university alliances and contributes to Europe’s leadership role in QST.