The overall objective of this call is to support the implementation of the EU-Republic of Korea Digital Partnership by strengthening cooperation with the Republic of Korea (ROK) in quantum technologies, in the areas identified in the Partnership.

Project results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes:

• Strengthening the European quantum ecosystem, enabling stakeholders to enhance quantum technologies' applications in academic, industrial, and relevant cases for the EU and ROK.
• Improving the exchange of information and expertise between EU and ROK to tackle societal challenges utilizing quantum technologies.
• Sharing best practices in deploying quantum technologies and integrating them with other technologies.
• Facilitating researcher and engineer exchanges between the EU and ROK for mutual access to quantum infrastructures.
• Enhancing international cooperation between the EU and ROK quantum communities, with a roadmap for future collaboration in targeted areas.

Scope:

Proposals are expected to address quantum technology challenges in the fields of quantum communication, computing, simulation, and sensing, identifying the added value and mutual benefits for both EU and Korean partners. This includes integration across various disciplines such as physics, engineering, computer science, cybersecurity, theory, algorithms, software, manufacturing, control, and infrastructures.

Relevant technological and societal challenges to address include:

• Co-design of hardware and software to accelerate quantum computing and simulation applications, ensuring interoperability across platforms and foundational quantum algorithm and architecture theories.

• Development of secure quantum communication protocols, including quantum key distribution and beyond, with a focus on device-independent protocols, quantum network architecture, and certification of quantum states.

• Application-specific quantum sensor development, covering areas like device fabrication, characterization for purposes like navigation, imaging, and biomedical applications, and optimizing sensor control and advanced approaches.

Proposals are recommended to link to the activities of relevant standards development organisations, e.g. via participation of project beneficiaries in the relevant standards technical committees. The Commission encourages the inclusion of partners with direct experience of participation in relevant standards committees at national, European or international level(s) in project consortia.

Proposals should contribute to spreading excellence between the EU and ROK, through the balanced involvement of EU and ROK entities.

Proposals should clearly define the benefit of EU-ROK collaboration, aiming to enhance the technology readiness level (TRL) through comprehensive engineering approaches involving public and/or private partners.

Proposals should also contribute to spreading excellence across Europe; for example, through the involvement of EU Widening Countries.

In this topic the integration of the gender dimension (sex and/or gender analysis) in research and innovation content is not a mandatory requirement; however, should proposers consider it to be of relevance for their proposal, they are strongly encouraged to integrate it.