31 March 2026
Forschungszentrum Jülich is further expanding its quantum research and will in future cooperate closely with the new Centre for Quantum Technologies at Saarland University. Jülich's Chair of the Board of Directors Astrid Lambrecht and Laurens Kuipers, a member of the Board of Directors, also attended the ceremony marking the launch of the centre, which has received over 53 million euros in funding.
Last June, the Saarland state government announced that it would provide over 53 million euros in funding to establish a Centre for Quantum Technologies at Saarland University. The centre has now officially commenced its work with a ceremony attended by Minister Jakob von Weizsäcker and University President Ludger Santen.
The Centre for Quantum Technologies aims to combine fundamental research with practical applications. On the one hand, it will focus on quantum engineering and quantum optics. The aim here is to develop a quantum internet as well as quantum networks and interfaces. Furthermore, in a second area of focus, the scientists will devote themselves to quantum information theory, quantum algorithms, quantum computing and quantum computing software.
The centre is fundamentally interdisciplinary and takes a broad view of quantum technologies. To this end, it bridges the gap between physics, mathematics, computer science and engineering. The existing expertise of professors from these four disciplines at Saarland University will be expanded through new appointments. These can build on the long-standing research work at Saarland University in the fields of quantum optics and experimental and theoretical physics. These research groups are already playing a key role in the development of quantum networks and a future 'quantum internet'.
In the field of quantum engineering, the aim is to integrate basic research in physics with application-oriented research in systems engineering, thereby translating research findings into relevant applications. To this end, plans are in place to fill two further professorships in experimental quantum physics and eight professorships in the field of systems engineering. The University of Saarland also has a renowned partner in the Forschungszentrum Jülich: the Forschungszentrum Jülich will open a branch office on the Saarbrücken university campus in the field of quantum engineering, fill joint professorships and contribute its internationally recognised infrastructure.
Once fully established, the Centre for Quantum Technologies will cover the entire value chain from basic research to application in the field of quantum engineering. It will thus be one of the few locations where quantum physics and engineering are united under one roof as equal partners. Important contributions to the development of technologies for quantum networks and quantum computer hardware are expected here in the future.
In the second research focus area on quantum computing, Frank Wilhelm-Mauch, director of the Institute for Quantum Computer Analytics at the research centre (PGI-12) and Professor at Saarland University, is conducting research. He coordinates large integrated consortia and bridges the crucial interface between quantum software and hardware. The field of Theoretical Quantum Technology and Quantum Information is already represented at Saarland University by four professorships in Physics, Computer Science and Mathematics. These are to be reinforced by two professorships in Quantum Information within the Infrastructure Division of Computer Science and a further one in this field within the Department of Mathematics. Together with a planned professorship in Quantum Communication within the Systems Engineering department, the new centre will thus cover the interdisciplinary field of quantum information with an unusually broad scope. In addition, a joint professorship with the German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) in the field of Quantum Artificial Intelligence will be established - here too, Saarland is playing a pioneering role.
The Centre for Quantum Technologies is already making an important contribution - in close cooperation with the internationally renowned Department of Computer Science at Saarland University - to closing the gap in research in the field of quantum software and quantum algorithms. Software for quantum computing and industrial applications is also to be developed here in future, for example through hybrid algorithms that combine methods of classical high-performance computing with those of quantum computing.
"The aim is to create a globally visible hub for quantum technologies on the campus of Saarland University, characterised by research excellence and application-oriented development," says University President Ludger Santen. This is expected to give rise to start-ups, patents and technical developments in the field of quantum engineering. According to Santen, there is also significant potential in the software sector for start-ups capable of developing algorithms inspired by quantum technology that already function on current hardware and vastly accelerate computational processes. "To provide training for specialists in these fields, Saarland University will, from the winter semester onwards, supplement its Bachelor's degree programme in Quantum Engineering - which has been on offer since 2019 - with a Master's programme in Quantum Information. This programme does not necessarily require a background in physics, but is also open to interested students from computer science and mathematics courses," adds the University President.
Science Minister Jakob von Weizsäcker also highlights the economic significance of the new centre for the Saarland: "What began 100 years ago with quantum mechanics as a revolution in theoretical physics is today a key technology with enormous economic potential. The new Centre for Quantum Technologies builds on existing strengths at our university and, together with Forschungszentrum Jülich, creates the critical mass for international visibility and competitiveness. With the support of the Saarland Transformation Fund, we are succeeding in establishing a technological beacon here, with corresponding spillover effects for value creation and jobs."
Astrid Lambrecht, Chair of the Board of Directors of Forschungszentrum Jülich, says: "Innovative quantum technologies emerge in interconnected ecosystems - driven by our talent and a close integration of university and non-university research. With the support of the state, the new Centre for Quantum Computing at Saarland University creates optimal conditions for this and specifically strengthens scientific excellence. The collaboration with Forschungszentrum Jülich provides young researchers with access to a high-performance infrastructure linked to concrete applications. In this way, we aim to actively contribute to further strengthening the scientific quantum computing community in Germany."
At the kick-off event for the Centre for Quantum Technologies on 31 March from 4 pm at the Innovation Centre of Saarland University, Professor of Mathematics Moritz Weber will provide insights into past and planned activities on behalf of the QuTe management team. Following this, Jakob von Weizsäcker, Minister for Finance and Science, Ludger Santen, President of the University, and Astrid Lambrecht, Chair of the Board of Directors of Forschungszentrum Jülich, will highlight the significance of the new centre from the perspectives of the state, the university and research. The German-Austrian experimental physicist Rainer Blatt will deliver the keynote address. Dorothee Bär, Federal Minister for Research, Technology and Space, will send a video message of greeting. The founding board of the new Centre for Quantum Technologies at Saarland University comprises Christoph Becher (Physics), Markus Bläser (Computer Science), Jürgen Eschner (Physics), Giovanna Morigi (Physics), Peter Orth (Physics), Moritz Weber (Mathematics) as head of the department, and Frank Wilhelm-Mauch (Physics).
