On October 25, 2023, Q-CTRL, a quantum control infrastructure software company, announced a partnership with the Quad Investors Network (QUIN) to provide quantum technology training to students in Australia and the United States. The announcement coincided with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to the White House.
Under the agreement, fully subsidized licenses for Q-CTRL’s Black Opal quantum educational technology software were to be provided to students at Technical and Further Education (TAFE) vocational training institutions in Australia and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the United States. QUIN Executive Director Asif Bhatti said the organization “strongly supports the program’s focus on enabling access to a broad range of students through collaboration with HBCUs and TAFEs.”
Q-CTRL described the initiative as the first specifically focused on enabling post-secondary students from non-quantum backgrounds to enter the quantum industry. Australia’s Chief Scientist, Dr. Cathy Foley, called the partnership “a great example of leadership from the private sector.” The QUIN had separately announced a Quantum Center of Excellence focused on workforce development and cross-border investment in quantum technologies.