The QT Research Hubs are intended to serve as UK centres of excellence for cutting-edge quantum technology research, bringing together diverse teams of academic researchers, quantum technology researchers, educators, and startup companies. The grant will support up to 5 Quantum Technology (QT) with a budget range of £15 million to £20 million for up to 60 months.
Every application will undergo a 2-stage assessment process. The assessment process will cover an outline proposal assessed by one of the chosen expert panels and a full proposal set by an expert peer review and an interview panel.
Primarily, this grant aims to fund a portfolio of QT Research Hubs, specifically in the following areas: Quantum networks for distributed entanglement, Quantum computing research to improve quantum computing performance, and Engineering quantum technology devices and components for sensing, imaging, positioning, and timing.
The selection will be based on these three scopes of studies, and it is expected to make at least one QT Research Hub award for each. Applications must meet most of the scope to ensure that the QT Research Hub objective can be realized with the financing available.
All successful applications will be required to develop detailed plans for essential elements such as equality, diversity, and inclusion, including succession planning and career development to produce future leaders in quantum technology, responsible research, and innovation, including public engagement and dialogue with more extensive social groups collaboration, and end-user engagement.
The EPSRC is a significant partner in the National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP), formed in 2014 to make the UK a global leader in the research and commercialization of quantum technologies, which are expected to alter worldwide society and the economy and share the desire to keep the UK’s image as a great place to do research.
Read more about the grant here.