Fifth Edition of the European Quantum Systems and Software Summit at PCSS

2025-06-27

Fifth Edition of the European Quantum Systems and Software Summit at PCSS

Following a successful series of European Quantum Systems and Software Summits (EQS3) over the past three years, the fifth edition of this event was held in Poznań. This year’s three-day meeting (25-27 June) was co-organized by a renowned quantum expert dr. hab. inż. Krzysztof Kurowski with the support of the Poznań Supercomputing and Networking Center (PCSS). EQS3 is a closed conference, aimed at the European scientific community and its international partners, with the primary goal of further shaping a common vision and strategy for the development of European quantum and hybrid systems.

During the summit, experts unanimously emphasized that quantum computing – despite its immense potential – will not be able to fully develop without close integration with High Performance Computing (HPC) systems. There is a growing consensus that only through integration with the HPC ecosystem can quantum computers effectively serve as accelerators in existing and new simulation scenarios.

Participants highlighted that it is still a young but dynamically developing field, requiring strict interdisciplinary cooperation. Specialists from various areas – ranging from physics and chemistry, through computer science and mathematics, to materials engineering – must be involved in realizing this vision. The integration of quantum computing with HPC is not only a technological challenge but also a huge opportunity for accelerating the development of science and industry.

Discussions with representatives from research centers, software providers, and end-users addressed the integration of Independent Software Vendor (ISV) solutions, including their commercial variants, with open-source software stacks. The need to develop standard interfaces enabling the connection of ISV services with HPC and quantum systems was also stressed. Furthermore, the necessity of increasing the performance of new-generation HPC-Q hybrid systems, efficient management of complex hybrid computations, integration with cloud services, and the development of tools for end-users were all highlighted.

The EQS3 conference also held significant importance in the context of the recent PIAST-Q quantum computer installation at PCSS and the ongoing work of the international EuroQCS-Poland consortium coordinated by the Poznań Center. This event facilitated the exchange of experiences with key European partners and strengthened international relations in the area of infrastructure and software development for European quantum systems which are due to be launched yet in 2025 as part of the EuroHPC JU infrastructure.

The conclusions and recommendations developed during the meeting constitute a valuable source of knowledge that supports further stages of building a quantum computing environment in Europe and Poland. This increases our chances for successful implementation of innovative solutions and expands the application possibilities of the PCSS’ PIAST-Q quantum computer.