Timeline
- Submission deadline: 13 August 2025
- Decision outcome: 26 August 2025
- Equipment to be ordered before 15 October 2025
Mission of the call
The call aims to strengthen quantum education at EPFL by supporting the purchase of specific equipment to further develop teaching activities (incl. master thesis and semester projects) and practical lab sessions (TPs) aligned with the quantum curriculum.
By “Educational Quantum Equipment”, we are referring to tools, devices, or systems used to teach and demonstrate quantum physics or quantum technologies in an educational setting. The equipment should help students understand the principles of quantum mechanics and its applications (e.g. quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum sensing) and may also be used for hands-on experiments in advanced physics or engineering courses. Labs and units or encouraged to build their original set-up, that could eventually be assembled/de-assembled by students themselves, versus acquiring turn-key commercial systems.
A call budget of 200 kCHF is available, and this opportunity is part of the QTNet (Quantum-Technology Network) program of the ETH Domain. The indicative maximum grant per proposal is 25 kCHF.
- Only persons employed at an EPFL lab or unit are eligible to apply. If the applicant is not head of the lab or unit then the head of the lab/unit has to co-sign the application form to express their support of the teaching project proposal; we support young researchers as applicants;
- Each applicant can submit up to max. 3 proposals, each with a different scope & educational context to this call. However, in case of multiple applications by the same applicant, priority will be given to the acquisition of equipment from different labs/units and/or equipment intended for different courses/activities;
- The applicant has to specify in the application form where the teaching equipment will be housed; if applicable, a room for the equipment or system must be identified and validated in the application form by the head of infrastructure of your school;
- The indicative maximum grant per proposal is 25 kCHF; flexibility may be allowed depending on the proposal’s scope and justification;
- The grant should cover actual costs in order to purchase (part of) a new equipment and/or additions to existing infrastructure/equipment/systems.
Please read the detailed call information can be found in the Guide for applicants here below.
- PIs interested in submitting an application are invited to contact [email protected] prior to submitting an application, in order to pre-check the eligibility criteria.
- Please download and use the provided template for your application form here below.
- The application form should be submitted, via email ([email protected]), as a single pdf file by 13 August 2025 at the latest. Add “Educational Quantum Equipment _name applicant” in the title of the email.
- After submission, you must register your application on GrantsDB to validate your submission
(Funding Body = EPFL – VPA – Équipement et soutien à la recherche / Call acronym = QTNet Educational Quantum Equipment) - Applicants will be informed about the outcome via email by 26th August 2025.
Contact
For any questions and to express interest in the call, please contact the call coordinator (Charlotte Vandenberghe) via email: [email protected]