The Australian Government has granted $18.4 million to the University of Sydney to establish Quantum Australia, a national center for quantum innovation and collaboration. The center aims to expand the quantum industry in Australia, which is among the top five countries for quantum research and patents.
Quantum computing, which can revolutionize technology by calculating in new ways, can lead to the development of new materials, pharmaceuticals, and cryptography. Quantum Australia will foster collaboration, encourage quantum startups, and connect quantum companies nationally and internationally. Key individuals involved include Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Emma Johnston, Professor Stephen Bartlett, and Minister for Industry and Science, the Hon. Ed Husic.
Quantum Australia: A National Centre for Quantum Innovation
The University of Sydney has been granted $18.4 million by the Australian Government to establish Quantum Australia, a national centre for quantum innovation. This initiative aims to foster the growth of the quantum industry and ecosystem in Australia, a country that consistently ranks among the top five globally for high-impact quantum research and quantum computing patents.
Quantum Australia will serve as a hub for collaboration and innovation, connecting quantum companies on both national and international scales. The centre will also raise awareness of quantum technology, encourage the creation and growth of quantum startups, and foster collaboration between industry and universities.
Quantum Computing: A Revolutionary Technology
Quantum computing, a technology that promises to revolutionize the way we calculate, is at the heart of Quantum Australia’s mission. By harnessing the peculiar properties of matter at the smallest scales, quantum machines offer new pathways for developing novel materials, designing new chemistry and pharmaceuticals, and revolutionizing cryptography. The potential of quantum computing is vast and largely unexplored.
Quantum Australia aims to leverage this potential to tackle major global challenges. As Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Emma Johnston stated, “Quantum technologies of the future will lift our capacity to tackle major global challenges, and we want Australia to remain at the forefront of this transformative work.”
Quantum Australia: A Collaborative Effort
The establishment of Quantum Australia is the result of a collaborative effort led by Professor Stephen Bartlett, a quantum information theorist and director of the University of Sydney Nano Institute. Bartlett believes that Quantum Australia will provide “muscle and momentum” to the national quantum strategy, demonstrating that industry, government, and academia can work together to further Australia’s quantum advantage.
Quantum Australia will bring together leading research institutions, industry partners, and quantum companies from across the country, aiming to have a broad reach both domestically and internationally.
Quantum Australia’s Goals and Impact
Quantum Australia’s mission extends beyond research and development. The centre aims to support the adoption, development, and commercialisation of quantum technologies, build connections across industry, research, and government in the quantum ecosystem, and educate industries on the implications and opportunities of emerging quantum technologies.
The Hon. Ed Husic, Minister for Industry and Science, emphasized the economic potential of quantum computing, stating that this investment and the government’s support of quantum is about “sharpening that edge and making sure it delivers an economic return for Australia in the shape of new jobs in new industries.”
Quantum Australia and the Sydney Quantum Academy
The University of Sydney, along with Macquarie University, UNSW, and the University of Technology Sydney, is part of the Sydney Quantum Academy (SQA), a NSW Government-funded initiative that has played a crucial role in the establishment of Quantum Australia.
SQA CEO Professor Peter Turner expressed his pride in SQA’s instrumental role in the bid for the new centre and his anticipation for the collaboration with the University of Sydney and the consortium partners to accelerate Australia’s place in the global quantum economy.
The establishment of Quantum Australia aligns with the Australian Government’s broader work to implement actions outlined in the National Quantum Strategy, which sets out a long-term vision of how Australia can take advantage of the opportunities that quantum technologies present.
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