In December 2025, forty women scientists from fifteen African countries took part in the UNESCO Quantum Computing Course for African Women Scientists. According to UNESCO, participants joined from Ghana, Nigeria, Mauritania, Tunisia, South Africa, Kenya, Togo, The Gambia, Namibia, Algeria, Morocco, Burkina Faso, Benin, Cameroon, and Ethiopia.
UNESCO designed the nine-session online course in 2025 to provide an accessible foundation in quantum computing and help participants identify pathways into the field. The course progressed from core concepts to selected applications, combining technical instruction with interactive discussion. It was led by Dr. Maria Longobardi from the University of Basel and Dr. James Wootton from Moth Quantum, and was based on the open-source textbook Learn Quantum Computation using Qiskit.
Participant feedback indicated strengthened understanding of core quantum concepts and increased confidence in engaging with emerging technologies, according to UNESCO’s outcome report. The program was conducted under the framework of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ 2025), which the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed on June 7, 2024, via Resolution A/RES/78/287.