A chair dedicated to quantum communication is being created in Geneva. The result of a partnership between the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and Constructor University (CU) based in Bremen and Schaffhausen - which was signed on Wednesday 30 November in Geneva - this chair will be positioned at the crossroads of fundamental research and applied research in this cutting-edge field of quantum physics. By pooling the expertise of researchers from both institutions, this new chair promises major advances and innovations, particularly in the field of secure information transfer. This first collaboration between UNIGE and Constructor University is part of a broader vision shared in a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2021 that will reinforce the newly created Geneva Quantum Centre (GQC).

Building bridges between research, incubation, industry, and teaching: this is the purpose of the new chair in quantum communication created in Geneva and headed by Professor Wolfgang Tittel. The chair, which is the result of a partnership between the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and Constructor University (CU) will focus its activities on quantum information technologies, such as data transfer, quantum memories, and cryptography.

“This collaboration with Constructor University enables UNIGE to further sustain and support its longstanding history in quantum technology research. We are thrilled to merge our shared vision in establishing an internationally recognized quantum chair with the goal to advance academic offerings and explore applications of these fascinating technologies across the field,” noted Prof. Yves Flückiger, Rector of UNIGE.

“Partnership with UNIGE is the first step of building Constructor University’s global institute of advanced studies. We invite other universities, institutions, and individual professors worldwide to collaborate in solving the most pressing world challenges of today. Constructor University chooses Geneva to further develop its quantum research operations, as Geneva is already a hub for quantum science and technology in Switzerland, with Geneva Quantum Centre (GQC) of UNIGE being its major actor,” commented Dr. Serg Bell, Founder of Constructor University and Chairman of the Board.

The new chair is based at the University of Geneva, within the Faculty of Science. Constructor University will cover 50% of the operating costs. It will also provide an initial investment of 1.5 million francs to finance a new laboratory dedicated to its activities. The creation of this chair is the first step in this collaboration which commits UNIGE and Constructor University for a period of ten years. UNIGE and Constructor University plan to create other specific chairs dedicated to quantum physics in the years to come.

Shared expertise

Quantum physics research, a field of expertise of UNIGE and Constructor University, has led the past to numerous technological innovations such as computing, mobile phones, and satellite navigation. This field of research is now driving a second revolution, particularly in the field of information: researchers are currently exploiting quantum properties to create telecommunication networks that allow data to be transferred in an ultra-secure manner. These same properties are being used to develop detectors for light particles (photons) of unprecedented sensitivity.

Among the world leaders in the field, the UNIGE is the first institution to have carried out quantum communications outside the protected environment of the laboratory, using optical fibers. It has also enabled the creation of a company in the field, ID Quantique, active in cryptography and founded by physicists Nicolas Gisin, Hugo Zbinden, and Grégoire Ribordy.

Constructor University focuses on eight research areas, including quantum technology, software engineering, cyber protection and robotics. Founded in 2019, it already has an extensive network of partners in industry and academia. Its purpose is to create a unique ecosystem where the world’s leading experts in computing, physics and business come together to find innovative solutions to global challenges.