CSA Projects
QFlag - Coordination and support action of the Quantum Flagship (2019)
Since April 2019, the QFlag project is providing the central support services and is acting as a single entry point to the European Quantum Flagship initiative. The QFlag consortium is composed of renowned research, research management and company organizations in the field of Quantum Technologies from France (CEA), Germany (VDITZ, BOSCH), Italy (CNR), The Netherlands (TNO), Spain (ICFO) and Switzerland (UNIGENEVA). All partners have a strong network in their individual countries and in Europe to support a powerful European Quantum Flagship initiative.
A core task of QFlag is the establishment and close involvement of a Flagship community (academia & industry) to prepare and implement a truly European QT Strategic Research Agenda. QFlag will identify use cases, analyse and make available key QT infrastructure, education and training needs and will trigger the establishment of new curricula in the field. Furthermore, QFlag will leverage the EU Commission investment in QT by creating joint funding activities with member states and regions on Strategic Research Agenda priorities – beyond the current ERANET Co-fund scheme.
The project provides central PR and dissemination services to the QT Flagship to increase the visibility of the area towards the public and to trigger the uptake of QT Flagship project results by industry.
QFlag builds upon the preparatory work of the QSA project (ended March 2019), so that a flying start of the project is expected.
Thus, QFlag will :
- Prepare a European Quantum Flagship Strategic Research Agenda for Horizon Europe
- Coordinate access to infrastructure, foster applications of Quantum Technology and facilitate the transfer of results to industry.
- Increase awareness of QT in Europe, both with end-users and the general public.
- Foster education and training in QT, both of students and young researchers and engineers, in the field of QT, as well as a “quantum aware workforce”.
- Coordinate the Quantum Technology stakeholders and link the Flagship activities to national programmes.
- Support the efficient governance of the Quantum Technology Flagship and monitor its progress.
QFlag consists of six work packages:
WP1 will update the strategic research agenda and related technical roadmaps for the QT community and the QT Flagship, as well as define and evaluate benchmarks for the QT Flagship to better understand its status and progress towards its main objectives. We will coordinate the community and community events by identifying and supporting activities that help it to grow and identify synergies that can accelerate RDI. Finally, we will actively work towards significant improvement in gender equality in the field, through a wide range of activities and programmes, coordinating both on a National and European level.
WP2 will strengthen connections and interaction between academia and industry, aimed at innovation and infrastructure. We will facilitate the transfer of results from academic research to industry, as well as knowhow in the opposite direction, and foster the applications of Quantum Technology.
Foster the development of Quantum Technology (QT) applications and accelerate a broad adoption by industry, including start-ups. The task aims at easing the adoption of QT by industry by making relevant information easily available, bringing stakeholders together, and dealing with IPR. The impact will be enhanced through an active identification of new use cases in cooperation with end-users. The focus is on (a) research and high-tech organizations needing ultimate performances and on (b) industries looking for new products and services for their customers.
Promote European curricula in Q-engineering and coordinate education activities.
Identify future training needs through transformation of value-chains.
Reach out to citizens and all stakeholders promoting societal, scientific and economic impact of QT
Develop international outreach, partnerships and strategy sharing on QT.
Provide support to the QT Flagship Governance – guarantee inclusive, open, transparent and efficient strategy development and implementation.
Coordinate European QT Flagship activities with National Programmes – create synergies and leverage impact
Manage the overall project with respect to administrative, financial and technical issues and ensure the achievement of all milestones and the completion of all deliverables according to the time frame and the foreseen budget.
Monitor and report the status of the project and take corrective actions if necessary.