PsiQuantum has partnered with five leading universities in Queensland, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU).
The consortium includes The University of Queensland, Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology, the University of Southern Queensland, and the University of the Sunshine Coast.
This collaboration aims to support the growing demand for skills in the quantum computing economy and explore research projects in adjacent fields, the firm said in a news release.
The partnership will provide a framework for academic institutions in Australia to offer opportunities for academic, postgraduate, and undergraduate placements, attracting and retaining leading Australian and global talent.
Within this partnership, PsiQuantum will closely work with the five universities to develop targeted educational programs to meet the skills requirements for the rapidly growing sector of quantum computing and other advanced technology industries.
These skill sets encompass a wide variety of roles, from quantum applications engineers, mechanical, optical, and electrical engineers to software developers and technical lab staff.
The educational programs will benefit from PsiQuantum’s expertise in developing study modules, courses, degrees, lectures, and industry training.
This will provide pathways for traditional STEM careers like engineering and software development into the quantum sector, upskill diverse scientists to work on critical applications of quantum computer technology, and prepare quantum physicists for the industry’s revolution.
The partnership will also involve joint research interests, expanding into larger projects as they progress.
By targeting the current and future skills needed within the quantum computing sector and the anticipated fields of professional specialisation, PsiQuantum and the Queensland universities will ensure that Australian talent is ready and able to support the burgeoning industry and PsiQuantum’s first utility-scale quantum computer in Brisbane, Australia.
PsiQuantum CEO and co-founder, Prof. Jeremy O’Brien, is a beneficiary of Australia’s leading quantum computing efforts, having been a postdoc, PhD student, and undergraduate at the Universities of Queensland, NSW, and WA, respectively.
At the University of Queensland, Prof. O’Brien worked with Prof. Andrew White and Prof. Geoff Pryde, PsiQuantum’s Senior Director of Technical Partnerships (on leave from Griffith University), along with many others across the Australian ecosystem, on foundational research in the development of photonic quantum computing.
Prof. O’Brien stated, “Australia and Queensland have been world leaders in the field of quantum computing for decades, and this partnership builds upon that foundation. This collaboration will help ensure that Australia is developing the necessary skills and driving research to continue leading this field for decades to come.”
Professor Deborah Terry, Vice-Chancellor and President of The University of Queensland, added, “Students starting high school this year will graduate into a world with utility-scale quantum computers. We will work with PsiQuantum across the education spectrum—from schools, through TAFE, to universities—to prepare our students for future jobs in quantum and advanced technologies.”
Professor Terry added, “Our researchers are also incredibly excited to explore and find projects of common interest with PsiQuantum, taking full advantage of this unique opportunity.”
Griffith University Vice Chancellor and President, Professor Carolyn Evans, remarked, “Griffith welcomes the MoU with PsiQuantum. The partnership brings opportunities for more Queensland students to build future-focused STEM careers and builds on more than 20 years of leading research in quantum technology here at Griffith and across the state.”
