July 09, 2026 -- With the aim of strengthening cross-border cooperation in quantum technologies and promoting groundbreaking research, the European Commission has launched the ‘QuantERA’ 2025 call for proposals. Supported by 34 funding organisations from 29 countries, the total funding package amounts to around 53 million euros. Out of more than 1,400 research teams and 287 applications, exactly 39 projects have been recommended for funding. With their project ‘Semidefinite Foundations for Quantum Codes: Convergence, Boundaries and Constructions’, researchers from Paderborn University, together with colleagues from Berlin, Poland, France and Slovenia, have made a strong case for their project. The aim is to develop the mathematical foundations for quantum codes, which are one of the key elements in the construction of future, fault-tolerant quantum computers.

On the German side, Dr. Sevag Gharibian, a researcher at the Institute for Photonic Quantum Systems ( PhoQS) and the Institute of Computer Science at Paderborn University, is among those involved in the project. His area of specialisation is quantum computing. “Quantum computers are among the key technologies of the 21st century. As powerful tools, they solve the most complex computational problems – tasks where classical hardware reaches its limits,” explains Prof. Gharibian. Within the context of the project, he is focusing in particular on algorithms that improve the fault tolerance of quantum computers.

The researcher explains: “Fault-tolerant quantum computing relies on quantum error correction to mitigate so-called quantum noise and information loss. However, our understanding of the fundamental limits and practical design principles of such methods remains insufficient. We therefore aim to develop a framework based on semidefinite programming for the analysis and construction of quantum codes and related resources. Put simply, the aim is not to find the best value for a variable, but rather the best matrix that satisfies certain conditions and achieves a specific objective, such as a minimum error rate.” Ultimately, the project aims to provide general theorems, benchmark tables and open-source software that implement these methods, thereby offering a mathematically sound and practically useful toolkit for quantum error correction, resource estimation and quantum simulation.

Quantum research in Paderborn

Paderborn is a centre for cutting-edge quantum research. Thanks to recognised experts in various disciplines, all the necessary resources converge here to conduct fundamental research and put its findings into practice – endeavours that are having a decisive impact on quantum research in Germany and beyond. At the University, and in particular at PhoQS, scientists from the fields of Physics, Mathematics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science are working towards the goal of establishing a leading national and international centre for photonic quantum technologies. In 2024, for example, Germany’s first light-based quantum computer (PaQS) began operations.

Prof. Gharibian: “With its ongoing commitment to fostering collaboration within the European quantum technology ecosystem, it is an honour for us to be part of the renowned QuantERA network. Together, we can ensure that Europe is well-positioned in the race for one of the most important technologies of our time. We at Paderborn University are ideally placed for this task.”