OQI at UNAM’s 4th Quantum Computing School
22nd September 2025

The 4th Quantum Computing School took place at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) from 4-8 August. Organised in collaboration with UNAM’s Office of Scientific Research, the Center for Advanced Studies in Computing and the School of Engineering, the event brought together over 1,000 participants in person and online, encompassing a wide range of disciplines – including physics, maths, medicine, computer science and psychology.
The programme combined a mix of keynote lectures with an intensive course on quantum computing, including two keynote talks from OQI, exploring our journey and mission towards advancing quantum computing for the benefit of all.
OQI’s journey
Martin Gastal, OQI’s Partnerships and Capacity Building Lead, presented an overview of OQI’s activities – showcasing how OQI is reflecting CERN’s mission of open science and international collaboration.
Quantum computing for humanity
Catherine Lefebvre, OQI Senior Advisor and Applications Lead, explored the origins of OQI, initiated by the Geneva Science Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA) and now hosted at CERN for its 2024-2026 pilot phase, which forms a crucial step in scaling up the initiative.
Catherine’s keynote took a deep dive into the methodology used for developing quantum computing use cases, leveraging quantum algorithms that can be applied to a real-world problem. Aiming to accelerate the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this effort combines forces of multidisciplinary collaboration between quantum experts, subject matter experts, UN organisations and NGOs.
Together, Martin and Catherine showcased OQI’s efforts towards mitigating the quantum divide. In particular, they highlighted our educational activities aiming to drive global capacity – through organising hackathons, setting up internships, playing the Quantum Diplomacy Game and regional events taking place across five continents during the International Year of Quantum (IYQ). They also emphasised OQI’s partnering with industry, providing access to simulators and quantum computers to implement OQI use cases, and highlighted OQI’s role in providing a neutral platform for shaping the multilateral governance of quantum computing for the SDGs.
Running annually for four years, UNAM’s summer school aligns with OQI’s mission to bridge the quantum gap and build global capacity. OQI is proud to have been invited to contribute to this year’s school and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with UNAM.

Photos by UNAM