The Call for Applicants will be published on July 1st, 2025.
Gen-Q – Generation Quantum
Gen-Q is a doctoral training programme set up by the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) Eucor – The European Campus. It provides 51 doctoral positions with an international, interdisciplinary and intersectoral focus. Each doctoral project lasts 48 months and culminates in the award of a doctoral degree.
The doctoral research is carried out at the Gen-Q partner institutions:
- University of Basel, Switzerland (12 positions)
- Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Germany (2 positions)
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany (11 positions)
- University of Haute-Alsace, France (3 positions)
- University of Strasbourg, France (14 positions)
- University of Amsterdam, Netherlands (6 positions)
- Adam Mickiewicz University Poznań, Poland (3 positions)
Based on the high quality, complementarity, diversity and experience in teaching, research and innovation of its involved partner institutions and researchers, Gen-Q will provide a crucial step in increasing the availability of leading experts in quantum science and technologies in Europe. Gen-Q establishes a model for sustainable long-term European cooperation in education and research in quantum science and technologies among leading European universities and with the non-academic sector.
Scientific orientation
The scientific orientation of the programme focuses on four main areas:
- (1) overcoming noise in quantum devices
- (2) scaling up complexity in so-called qubits and sensors
- (3) developing quantum hardware
- (4) developing quantum software and hybrid computing
“Quantum science and technology is an interdisciplinary field that explores and harnesses the rules of physics, chemistry, materials science and computer science. At Gen-Q, we use this variety of perspectives to work on advanced quantum technologies, such as quantum computing and quantum sensing.”
Prof. Guido Pupillo
Scientific leader of Gen-Q, University of Strasbourg
MSCA COFUND project
The Gen-Q programme has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement number 101217386.
Project governance
The Steering Committee (SC) acts as the central leading body of Gen-Q and is composed to include ample management experience as all members have been involved in the coordination of large international networks, research institutes and training programmes. The SC will lead the programme in all aspects of implementation and monitoring, including, strategic developments in research and training, output monitoring. The SC will also oversee the other Gen-Q committees, the annual action plan and the monitoring of the key performance indicators.
The members are:
- Bernd Finger, Eucor – The European Campus EGTC, coordinator
- Guido Pupillo, University of Strasbourg, Scientific Leader
- Ilaria Zardo, University of Basel, Deputy Scientific Leader
- Ireneusz Weymann, Adam Mickiewicz University Poznan, Training Manager
- Mario Ruben, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Risk Manager
- Ana Helmann, University of Strasbourg, Exploitation Manager
- Shannon Whitlock, University of Strasbourg, Mediator
- Florian Schreck, University of Amsterdam, Policy Liason Manager
- Verena Kremling, University of Freiburg, Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Expert
The coordinator of the project is Eucor – The European Campus. The project coordinator is responsible for the day-to-day management of the programme and its activities, the reporting to and the link with the Research Executive Agency (REA). The Gen-Q project manager assists the coordinator and the Steering Committee in all programme’s management activities.
Funding
The Gen-Q project was selected by the European Commission as an international and interdisciplinary doctoral programme in Quantum Science and Technologies. As part of the COFUND programme of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (Horizon Europe), Gen-Q will receive funding of 6 million euros. The project will run for five years and has a total volume of 13 million euros.
In addition to 6 million euros from the European Union, there are 2 million euros from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) and co-financing from the participating partner universities.