Senegal hosts first quantum computing school at UCAD

The University Cheikh Anta Diop Dakar (UCAD) recently hosted Senegal’s first-ever quantum computing school. Taking place 30 April-3 May 2025, the initiative was organised in collaboration with the Physics Without Frontiers (PWF) programme of the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), with support from the Open Quantum Institute (OQI).

The school brought together over 30 Master and PhD students from across Senegal, spanning a diverse range of academic backgrounds—including physics, computer science and engineering—to explore the fundamentals of quantum computing and foster the quantum computing community both in Senegal and globally.

Students participated in lectures led by experts from UCAD and the University of Grenoble Alpes (UGA), immersing them in the fundamental theory of quantum mechanics. They also engaged in hands-on training sessions, providing them with practical experience with quantum simulation platforms. As part of the programme, students were introduced to Qiskit, a widely used open-source quantum computing framework, to deepen their understanding of quantum algorithms and simulations.

The school marked a key milestone as Senegal’s first quantum computing school, laying the foundations to continue nurturing the quantum computing ecosystem both in Senegal and across Africa.

Find out more details about the school: https://indico.ictp.it/event/10970/overview

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Description:

The Open Quantum Institute (OQI) is a multilateral governance initiative that promotes global and inclusive access to quantum computing and the development of applications for the benefit of humanity. As a novel science diplomacy instrument, it brings together research, diplomacy, private sector and philanthropy stakeholders. OQI is hosted by CERN during its pilot phase (2024-2026).

Mission:

• Accelerating applications for humanity: Realising the full potential of quantum computing to have the widest possible societal impact by accelerating the development of use cases geared towards achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and succeeding framework , thanks to the combined forces of researchers, developers and entrepreneurs from academia and private sector as well as the United Nations, and large NGOs
• Access for all: Providing global, inclusive and equitable access to a pool of public and private quantum computers and simulators available via the cloud
• Advancing capacity building: Developing educational tools to enable everyone around the world to contribute to the development of quantum computing and make the most of the technology
• Activating multilateral governance for the SDGs: Providing a neutral forum to help shape multilateral governance of quantum computing for the SDGs

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• Inclusivity, global scope
• Enable people from all countries, regardless of whether they have any quantum computing capability of their own, to benefit from and to participate in the development of (i) quantum computing applications that address global challenges, in particular those that are closely related to their own specific challenges, and (ii) the multilateral governance of quantum computing for the SDGs
• Openness
• Share experiences, knowledge, and methods for the benefit of all, following Open Science best practice
• Make openly available the results – outcomes of joint activities related to the OQI mission conducted by the OQI community – to society via open repositories and/or through the use of open licences
• Focus on impact
• Ensure that applications are developed for their quantum computing potential to tackle real-world problems that will benefit humanity
• Consider and balance their ethical, legal, and societal implications
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• Enable everyone to participate free from individual, national, corporate or any other agendas
• Develop applications with a technology neutral approach.
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