Computer science education was once a niche area of study that was accessible to only the elite few. Today, it is completely democratized and embedded into every corner of society. The history of computer science education can provide a useful model for teaching the next stage of computing—quantum computing—globally and at all levels of education. However, that history also teaches important lessons, and this time, we won’t allow decades to pass before we make this powerful technology accessible to all.
A little over a year ago, at the end of 2023, IBM, Keio University, the University of Tokyo, Yonsei University, Seoul National University, and the University of Chicago joined forces to announce their commitment to preparing 40,000 students for the future quantum workforce over the next 10 years. One year later, the international quantum education initiative is making significant progress by taking key lessons from classical computer science education and extending them to accelerate the scale and pace of development in quantum computing education. In 2024 alone, the initiative’s university partners reached more than 2,400 quantum computing students, and we’re continuing to make significant progress as we move deeper into 2025.
In 2023, at the US Embassy in Japan, IBM announced its intention to engage with Keio University, The University of Tokyo, Yonsei University, Seoul National University, and The University of Chicago to work together to support quantum education activities in Japan, Korea, and the United States. Pictured L-R: Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Darío Gil, Senior Vice President and Director of IBM Research, Professor Kohei Itoh, President, Keio University, Yun Duk-min, South Korea Ambassador to Japan. (Credit: US State Department)
By providing accessible, high-quality educational resources for students of quantum computing, we are working together to drive widespread adoption of quantum technology and bridge the “skills gap,” the numerical mismatch between the increasing number of quantum job openings and the relatively few qualified candidates available to fill them. Ultimately, we believe this work will foster a more technologically inclusive environment in classrooms around the world.
Visit IBM Quantum Learning to start your quantum education journey with free resources like our Utility scale quantum computing course.
University progress in quantum education
How will IBM, Keio University, the University of Tokyo, Yonsei University, Seoul National University, and the University of Chicago prepare 40,000 students for the budding quantum workforce? The international quantum education initiative is powered by a variety of strategies designed to empower both students and educators. These include the creation of Qiskit in Class Modules that professors can easily integrate into existing courses, as well as a new utility-scale quantum education curriculum professors can use across a broad range of science and technology disciplines. There are also community-driven educational events, joint summer programs, and quantum leadership programs that train young researchers who are positioned to become future leaders in their local ecosystem.
Today, educators have access to a fleet of quantum computers powered by utility-scale quantum processing units. These provide university classrooms with scientific tools that educators can use for semester-long, graduate level courses to train the next generation of quantum computational scientists in a new way. For example, students at the University of Tokyo were able to perform utility-scale calculations on a kicked Ising model to replicate the original IBM Quantum utility experiment that was published on the cover of Nature in 2023.
This new course focused on equipping students with the knowledge and skills they need to run utility-scale experiments and has inspired other institutions to embrace quantum education that is more relevant to the latest advancements in quantum computing. IBM is also making this course material available to all via IBM Quantum Learning to help meet the growing interest among educators who are seeking to train their students in utility-scale quantum computing.
Universities participating in the quantum education initiative also made significant contributions to student participation in last year’s IBM Quantum Challenge, which set records with 5,256 registrations, 2,383 active users, and 135,819 generated submissions. IBM Quantum Challenge, first launched in 2019 as a collaboration with Keio University, is an annual, global event that provides an opportunity for students to learn about quantum computing and develop their skills in programming with Qiskit.
The University of Tokyo and Seoul National University have also incorporated the IBM Quantum Challenge as part of their spring semester course to provide their students an opportunity to demonstrate what they learned, earn extra credit in class, and obtain a digital badge of certification that shows their continued progress toward a career in quantum computing.
How the initiative is preparing students for the future of computing
Keio University, which became one of the first universities in Asia-Pacific to join the IBM Quantum Network in 2017, has been a major research and education hub in the region. Last year, IBM collaborated with Keio University to provide hands-on quantum programming training using the latest version of Qiskit for undergraduate and graduate courses emphasizing utility-scale quantum computing. Keio University currently offers three undergraduate quantum computing courses, one graduate-level course, and one kenkyukai (focused research group) reaching 773 students across the Faculty of Science and Technology, Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, and the Department of Information and Computer Science.
The University of Tokyo, an IBM Quantum Computational Center with an on-premises IBM Quantum System One and testbed, has worked with IBM since 2019 to deliver graduate-level quantum information science courses. Last year, as part of the new initiative, the University of Tokyo and IBM co-developed a new quantum computing course to help university students learn how to implement utility-scale applications on a quantum computer. The University of Tokyo currently offers three undergraduate quantum computing courses and one graduate level course, with 200 students using IBM Quantum systems in classrooms, including the university’s on-premises IBM Quantum System One. Last fall, the university organized a three-day Qiskit Fall Fest event on campus, where 44 students engaged in learning about quantum computing from local Qiskit Advocates and gained hands-on experience with real quantum computers for the first time.
Yonsei University inaugurated South Korea’s first IBM Quantum System One in 2024, engaging researchers and students at the undergraduate and graduate level to drive quantum information science. Yonsei University currently offers two undergraduate quantum computing courses and two graduate level seminars with 100 students utilizing their on-campus IBM Quantum System One. Yonsei University is also planning to establish a new Department of Quantum Information for M.S. and Ph.D. students in September 2025. As part of the quantum education initiative, Yonsei University is working with IBM to incorporate new Qiskit in Classroom programming modules into their Spring and Fall semester quantum information science undergraduate courses. Yonsei University also hosted its own Qiskit Fall Fest events this November. The event series was conducted over two weeks with a total of 12 sessions and more than 140 students participating.
Seoul National University currently offers a highly successful undergraduate quantum computing and quantum information science course in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering utilizing Qiskit. The lectures are viewable via the University’s YouTube channel with their most recent quantum computing course reaching over 3,800 views. The department has also incorporated the IBM Quantum Challenge as part of their spring semester course providing their students an opportunity to tackle problems as an individual or group. This allows students to test their skills, demonstrate what they learned, and obtain a digital badge of certification that shows their continued progress toward a career in quantum computing. As of spring semester 2025, the Department of Physics and Astronomy has started its first undergraduate quantum computing course utilizing Qiskit classroom modules.
The University of Chicago has long been at the forefront of efforts to build a quantum ecosystem, facilitating strong workforce enablement initiatives in the Chicago region. For the 2023-24 academic year, the university offered 29 quantum-focused courses taught by 21 faculty members spread across the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, as well as the departments of Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, and Chemistry. Additionally, during this past summer, UChicago and IBM collaborated on the Summer Metcalf Clinic, a co-op, project-based experience for UChicago students. During this project, a team of undergraduates worked with members of the IBM Quantum team to take a deep dive into the field of quantum computing education through interactive entertainment. The participating students successfully created a proof-of-concept for teaching the basics of quantum mechanics through the video game Minecraft, and learned how to communicate difficult topics to a broad audience.
Quantum computer science: Accelerating into the future
In many ways, the evolution of quantum computing education mirrors the early days of classical computing. In both fields, access was initially limited to elite institutions. However, over time, advancements in technology and accessibility helped to significantly lower the barriers to entry.
For classical computing, this process took decades. In quantum computing, we’ve accelerated that to just a few years. By leveraging principles of open education, open-source tools like the Qiskit SDK, and community-driven initiatives, universities today can enable millions of learners around the world to engage with quantum computing.
The success of quantum education initiatives like the one described in this blog post underscores the importance of collaboration between educational institutions and technology providers in accelerating the adoption of quantum computing. This work plays an essential role in fostering the next generation of quantum learners.
Get started today on IBM Quantum Learning
Remember, you don’t have to be a university student to start learning how to use quantum computers. You’ll find everything you need available for free on IBM Quantum Learning, including beginner-friendly courses on quantum information science, and hands-on tutorials for specific use cases.
For example, you can now explore our Utility scale quantum computing course, which includes 14 lessons and labs developed by IBM Quantum in collaboration with the University of Tokyo. Until recently, this content was available only to members of the IBM Quantum Network, but we’re pleased to share we’ve now made it open to the public. This means that any interested students, educators, developers, or researchers can use this course to learn how to scale their computations effectively on today’s quantum hardware.
For more details on interesting new IBM Quantum Learning content, take a look at our blog detailing recent course updates and the new learning pathways.
