International Year of Quantum Science and Technology: What the Declaration Means for Research, Industry and Policy

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International Year of Quantum Science and Technology: What the Declaration Means for Research, Industry and Policy

UNESCO's designation of an International Year of Quantum Science and Technology aims to spotlight advances in quantum research and accelerate international coordination on policy, funding and education. This article examines the scientific landscape, economic projections, national programs, ethical and security considerations, and the challenges ahead.

Sultan Sikander

December 16, 2025

10Min Reads

Science and Technology

Overview

In recent years, advances in quantum physics have moved steadily from laboratory demonstrations to technology platforms with demonstrable commercial and societal promise. The declaration of an International Year of Quantum Science and Technology by international bodies and stakeholders reflects that transition. The designation is intended to raise awareness, coordinate activities, and encourage investment and education across countries and sectors.

This report examines what the International Year means in practical terms: the scientific and technological landscape it highlights, the funding and policy initiatives it is likely to crystallize, and the risks and governance challenges that policymakers and scientists will need to confront.

What has been declared and why it matters

International observances provide a focal point for scientific outreach and policy coordination. UNESCO and other international organizations have in the past designated years devoted to topics such as chemistry, light, and crystallography. The International Year of Quantum Science and Technology is intended to perform a similar role for an exceptionally fast-moving field.

Proponents say the designation can:

Provide a platform to explain complex science and applications to wider audiences;

Encourage national governments to coordinate investment and workforce development;

Stimulate international cooperation on standards and governance; and

Support equitable access so that benefits are distributed across regions and communities.

Physics World, an independent news outlet for the physics community, marked the observance with features and interactive materials for readers, including a quiz designed to test and broaden public knowledge about quantum science and technology (Physics World).

What 'quantum science and technology' covers

Quantum science and technology is an umbrella term encompassing research and applications that exploit quantum mechanical effects such as superposition, entanglement, and quantum coherence. Major subfields include:

Quantum computing â€” devices that perform computation using quantum bits (qubits) and quantum logic. These systems aim to solve particular classes of problems more efficiently than classical computers.

Quantum communication â€” secure transmission of information using quantum states, most prominently quantum key distribution (QKD).

Quantum sensing and metrology â€” measurement techniques that use quantum effects to achieve enhanced sensitivity for timekeeping, navigation, imaging and magnetic and electric field sensing.

Quantum simulation â€” engineered quantum systems used to mimic complex quantum matter or chemistry that are intractable for classical simulation.

Each of these domains is at a different maturity level. Quantum sensing and communications have produced deployable systems, while quantum computing has demonstrated milestone experiments such as quantum supremacy demonstrations for narrowly defined tasks, and ongoing engineering efforts seek to scale and lower error rates in qubits. For technical reviews, see an overview of quantum sensing in Nature Physics (Degen, Reinhard & Cappellaro, 2017) and an earlier review on quantum communications and cryptography (Scarani et al., 2009).

Funding, national strategies and international competition

Governments have framed quantum technology as strategic. The United States enacted the National Quantum Initiative (NQI), which consolidates federal activities and funding for basic research and workforce development (National Quantum Initiative, NIST). The European Union launched the Quantum Flagship, a decade-long, multi-hundred-million-euro program supporting research and development across Europe (Quantum Flagship). Several other economies have national initiatives and roadmaps.

Public funding is complemented by private corporate investment and venture-backed startups focused on hardware platforms (superconducting circuits, trapped ions, photonics, neutral atoms, silicon qubits), software stacks, and application-specific systems. Estimates of the market opportunity vary widely depending on assumptions about which technologies mature and when; industry analyses and consulting reports reflect that uncertainty but broadly project large markets for sensing, communications and computing services over the next decade and beyond (McKinsey & Company, Quantum computing analysis).

National priorities emphasize both innovation and security. Governments fund research centers, national laboratories, and university partnerships to build technological capacity and training pipelines. At the same time, some policymakers view quantum communication and encryption as important for securing critical infrastructure.

Scientific progress and technical hurdles

Quantum science has produced dramatic laboratory results, but scaling those achievements into practical, robust systems remains the central challenge. Key hurdles include:

Error rates and decoherence: Qubits are fragile, and error correction demands large overheads unless native error rates are reduced substantially.

Scalability: Building and interconnecting large numbers of qubits while maintaining control and readout fidelity is technically demanding.

Materials and fabrication: Variation in device fabrication and materials defects generate performance variability and reliability issues.

Software and algorithms: Many quantum algorithms require new approaches to exploit hardware characteristics and to demonstrate clear advantage on real-world tasks.

Landmark experiments show progress despite these obstacles. For example, Google's 2019 experiment reported a demonstration of a specific computation that would be infeasible on a classical supercomputer under stated assumptions (Arute et al., Nature 2019). Follow-on work has explored error mitigation and hybrid quantum-classical algorithms, while other groups have demonstrated high-fidelity two-qubit gates in trapped-ion and superconducting platforms.

Applications: realistic near-term expectations

Analysts distinguish between near-term applications that can be delivered by intermediate-scale quantum devices and longer-term goals requiring fault-tolerant quantum computers. Candidate near-term and mid-term applications include:

Quantum sensing: Improved accelerometers, magnetometers and clocks for navigation, geological surveying and biomedical imaging are among applications likely to see commercial uptake sooner than full-scale quantum computing.

Chemical and materials simulation: Quantum simulators and small-scale quantum processors may help model chemical reactions and materials properties in ways that accelerate drug discovery and materials design.

Optimization and machine learning: Hybrid quantum-classical algorithms may offer advantages for some optimization and sampling problems; however, the benchmarks and practical benefits are still under active investigation.

Secure communications: Quantum key distribution networks and quantum-safe encryption research are already informally piloted and in limited deployment.

Expectation management is important: experts caution that quantum technologies are not a panacea and that classical computing advances and new algorithms will remain essential for many applications.

Workforce, education and public engagement

Building a workforce with the necessary skills across physics, engineering, computer science and materials science is an explicit goal of the International Year. Universities and national labs are expanding curricula and training programs, while industry partners sponsor internships and collaborative R&D.

Public engagement is another pillar. The field's complexity and the prevalence of hype risk either unrealistic expectations or public misunderstanding. Outreach initiatives tied to the International Year aim to clarify what quantum technologies can and cannot do and to broaden participation among underrepresented groups in STEM.

Governance, standards and ethical considerations

As quantum technologies move toward deployment, governance issues become salient. Key areas include:

Standards and interoperability: International standards bodies and consortia will need to develop measurement and testing standards to enable reliable performance claims and cross-border interoperability.

Security and national defense: State actors are assessing how quantum advances will affect cryptography and command-and-control systems.

Equity and access: Ensuring that research benefits are not monopolized by a handful of countries or corporations will require deliberate policy and international collaboration.

Ethics of use: Like other dual-use technologies, quantum tools could be used in ways that require normative and legal frameworks.

Researchers and policy analysts have called for multistakeholder approaches that include scientists, industry, civil society and international organizations. For example, UNESCO's engagement with the topic emphasizes inclusivity and knowledge sharing as central objectives (UNESCO).

Voices from the field

Experts who study and build quantum systems emphasize both opportunity and caution. Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, framed the topic in a public statement about international scientific cooperation: "Quantum science and technology open new frontiers of knowledge with far-reaching implications for society; international cooperation will be essential to ensure that their benefits are widely shared" (UNESCO statement).

John Preskill, a theoretical physicist at the California Institute of Technology known for coining the term 'quantum supremacy', has written about the promise of near-term quantum devices and the need for rigorous benchmarks. In a public forum he noted that researchers must be careful to distinguish demonstrable scientific milestones from premature claims of broad economic transformation (John Preskill's professional page).

Researchers focusing on quantum sensing emphasize practical advantages. As reviewed by C. L. Degen and colleagues, quantum sensors exploit entanglement and coherence to measure physical quantities at or beyond classical limits, with application domains ranging from medical diagnostics to geological exploration (Degen, Reinhard & Cappellaro, Nature Physics 2017).

Industry perspectives and investment trends

Industry participants highlight a dual approach: invest in long-term platforms while pursuing nearer-term revenue from services and sensors. Cloud-hosted quantum computing servicesâ€”offered by major technology companies and startupsâ€”are used by researchers and enterprises to develop algorithms and test potential use cases.

Investment levels have surged in recent years, with venture capital flowing to hardware startups, software toolchains, and specialized application firms. Public-private partnerships, national funding programs, and multinational collaborations are all part of the financing mosaic that the International Year seeks to promote.

International cooperation and potential flashpoints

Quantum science is inherently international: talent, equipment and ideas cross borders, and global research networks have been central to progress. The International Year presents an opportunity to strengthen those networks.

At the same time, the strategic value of quantum technologies has generated competition. Some governments have tightened export controls on certain quantum technologies and components. Balancing protection of national security interests with the open exchange of scientific knowledge will be a core policy dilemma.

Benchmarks and evaluation: how to measure success

Measuring the impact of an International Year involves both quantitative and qualitative metrics. Possible indicators include:

Number and geographic distribution of outreach events, workshops and training programs;

Growth in graduate enrollment and workforce pipelines for quantum-related disciplines;

New multinational research collaborations and standards initiatives launched;

Deployments of quantum sensing and communication systems in non-research settings; and

Progress toward interoperability, benchmarking and reproducible performance claims.

Longer-term outcomes such as economic impact and contribution to scientific knowledge will require sustained assessment beyond the calendar year.

Challenges and criticisms

Observers have raised several concerns about an observance year for quantum science and technology. Critics warn that:

An overemphasis on high-level proclamations can distract from the hard, incremental research and infrastructure investments needed to realize long-term goals;

Nationalistic competition may impede the international cooperation essential for an open and robust scientific ecosystem; and

Public-facing campaigns risk fueling hype that could, if expectations are unmet, erode public trust.

Proponents respond that a well-structured International Year can counteract hype by promoting education, transparent benchmarks and realistic discourse about timelines and risks.

What stakeholders can do

The International Year creates an organizing moment for diverse stakeholders. Actions that can increase the probability of positive outcomes include:

Support interdisciplinary training programs that combine physics, engineering and computer science;

Fund open infrastructure and shared testbeds to lower barriers for smaller institutions and countries;

Encourage standardized benchmarks and independent verification of performance claims;

Promote international forums for discussing security implications and export-control policy; and

Maintain clear public communication that distinguishes near-term realistic applications from speculative long-term visions.

How the scientific community can use the year

For researchers, an International Year is an opportunity to broaden the reach of quantum science in several specific ways:

Engage in public programming and curricular development so newcomers can understand foundational concepts and career pathways;

Use the attention to advocate for sustained funding for mid-scale infrastructure that supports reproducible experiments; and

Develop cross-border collaborations focused on standards, benchmarks and shared facilities.

Outreach initiatives, including quizzes, explainer articles and hands-on demonstrations, can help demystify the subject for students, policymakers and journalists. Coverage and interactive materials from outlets such as Physics World are examples of how specialized media can support broader engagement (Physics World).

Conclusion

The declaration of an International Year of Quantum Science and Technology marks a recognition that quantum research is at an inflection point: scientific breakthroughs and engineering advances have opened tangible pathways to applications, while substantial technical, policy and ethical questions remain. The observance year can be a productive catalyst if it prompts sustained investment in people and infrastructure, encourages realistic public dialogue, and fosters multinational cooperation on standards and governance.

Success will not be measured solely by events held in a single year, but by whether the momentum produced translates into durable ecosystems for research, equitable access to technology benefits, and robust frameworks for addressing security and ethical concerns. The coming years will test whether the optimism around quantum science and technology is matched by steady, inclusive progress that delivers concrete benefits across societies.

Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information and does not represent investment or legal advice.