Qualitative Leap Towards Disruptive Technologies: CiTIUS Participates in the First European Center of Excellence in Quantum Computing

CiTIUS (Singular Research Center in Intelligent Technologies) of the University of Santiago de Compostela participates in the QEX (Quantum EXcellence) project, the first European Center of Excellence in Quantum Computing. This pioneering initiative, funded by the European entity EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU), has a duration of four years and aims to strengthen European leadership in quantum computing by bringing the benefits of this technology closer to science, industry, and society.

Coordinated by the Dutch foundation Stichting QuantumDeltaNL, the project brings together eleven institutions from five EU member states, combining expertise in quantum technologies, supercomputing, and software development. In the Spanish sector, the project boasts notable Galician participation through USC, via CiTIUS (under the scientific direction of researcher Tomás Fernández Pena), and the IGFAE (Galician Institute of High Energy Physics), as well as the Galicia Supercomputing Center (CESGA) and the University of A Coruña (through the Research Centre in Information and Communication Technologies, CITIC).

The three Galician partners will play a key role in constructing this sort of European “one-stop-shop”. Their work will focus on developing the access and usage environment for quantum computers, creating new applications and software libraries, and coordinating the benchmarking activities of quantum computers and applications. In addition, they will participate in training researchers and users, leveraging the experience gained from previous projects such as TalentQ.

A European effort to lead the quantum revolution

Quantum computing represents a paradigm shift in information processing. Unlike conventional computers, which work with bits (0 or 1), quantum computers use qubits, capable of existing in multiple states simultaneously, allowing them to perform complex calculations exponentially faster for certain problems. These capabilities could transform areas like materials science, cryptography, artificial intelligence, or climate modeling.

QEX is framed within the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking, a European Union entity created in 2018 by the European Council and Parliament, in collaboration with member states and industry, to boost European leadership in supercomputing and quantum technologies, reinforcing its technological sovereignty.

The EuroHPC JU is behind the installation of Europe's most advanced supercomputers (such as JUPITER in Germany or MareNostrum 5 in Spain) and now expands its mission towards quantum computing by creating new Quantum Centers of Excellence like QEX. By combining classical and quantum computing resources, these centers aim to accelerate innovation and build a competitive and sovereign European quantum ecosystem.

Strategic contribution

With the participation of these three Galician institutions, Spain (and particularly Galicia) strengthens its position as a strategic hub in the European realm of quantum computing and supercomputing, connecting advanced academic research with national and European infrastructures.

"Participating in QEX allows us to apply our experience in artificial intelligence and high-performance computing to the emerging field of quantum technologies", explains Tomás F. Pena, the scientific lead of the project at CiTIUS (a center co-financed by the European Union through the Galicia Feder 2021-2027 Program). "This collaboration not only reinforces Galicia's role in European innovation but also opens new opportunities for training and technological transfer".

About QEX

QEX will act as the European reference point for quantum computing applications and tools, providing access to specialized resources and knowledge. It will offer support to scientific users, companies, and public institutions through training programs, personalized consulting, and collaborative development of quantum applications, preparing Europe for the next generation of computing. The project is funded by the European Union's EuroHPC program, under grant agreement 101194491, and by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MICIU) and the State Research Agency (AEI, 10.13039/501100011033), with projects PCI2025-163133, PCI2025-163180, and PCI2025-163229.