QACI UIBK Call for Proposals for early access to Quantum Computing Resources

Description

We are pleased to announce a call for research project proposals to access the quantum computer at the University of Innsbruck. The system procurement and this call are part of the Quantum Accelerated Computing Infrastructure project financed by the FFG.

This initiative aims to support cutting-edge research in quantum computing and its applications by providing researchers at Austrian institutions access to state-of-the-art quantum computing resources.

The goal of this call is to enable researchers to explore innovative quantum algorithms, develop quantum applications, and advance the field of quantum computing. Selected projects will receive access to the system.

System details

The QC system at the University of Innsbruck is currently being installed. Therefore, a system of the same design, namely IBEX from AQT, is used. The access it granted via the HPC infrastructure and we use SLURM as job scheduler (an example and a simulator is provided). The following configuration needs to be considered for this call.

See, IBEX Q1for details.

Call details

• Opening: The call is open with a deadline for submission on Friday 31. of October 2025 (extended).
• Eligibility: This call is open to researchers affiliated with Austrian academic or research institutions. Collaborative projects involving multiple institutions are encouraged.
• Start date: The maximum time-to-resource-access is 2 months after the allocation.
• Type of access: The allocation is granted for the specified project in close cooperation with the project team at the University of Innsbruck and only possible until 31. December 2025.
• Granted Resources: Each project is awarded a minimum of 200 quantum circuits and 20.000 shots. Additional resources may be distributed based on the project’s scope and requirements. In total, we can grant 2500 quantum circuits and 500.000 shots in this call.
• Project Selection: A total of five projects will be selected by a scientific board for this round of access. The distribution of resources will be determined based on the size, scope, and potential impact of the proposed projects.
• Evaluation Criteria: Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
  1. Scientific Merit: The originality and significance of the research question or problem.
  2. Feasibility: The technical feasibility of the proposed work within the allocated resources and timeline.
  3. Impact: The potential contribution to the field of quantum computing or its applications.
  4. Team Expertise: The qualifications and experience of the research team in quantum computing or related fields.

Timeline

• Review of the submitted proposals by the scientific committee
• Communication of the allocation decision: First half of November 2025
• Submission of final report: 02. February 2026

Proposal Submission

Interested researchers are invited to submit a short project proposal (max 3 pages, see template provided), including the following:

1. Project Title: A concise and descriptive title.
2. Abstract: A brief summary of the project.
3. Publishable abstract: A brief summary without confidential information that can be published in case of acceptance.
4. Research Objectives: Clearly defined goals and expected outcomes.
5. Methodology: A description of the approach, including the use of quantum circuits and shots.
6. Resource Requirements: An estimate of the quantum circuits and shots required, with justification.
7. Team Information: Names, affiliations, and relevant expertise of the team members.
8. Timeline: A proposed timeline for the project.

Terms and Conditions

• Selected projects must acknowledge the use of the UIBK quantum computer and the FFG Project in any resulting publications.
• The project must not serve any commercial purposes.
• Resource allocations are non-transferable and must be used within the specified project timeline.
• Researchers are required to submit a final report summarizing the outcomes of their project (template provided).
• Researchers are required to provide an acknowledgment copy of any publications resulting from the use of the quantum computing resources.
• All project proposals and project details are kept confidential, with the exception of the publishable abstract.
• The IP stays with the applicants.
• We would like to build up a repository of quantum experience and your contribution under an appropriate licence like CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 would be most welcome.

Acknowledgments

• This project is funded by the FFG (www.ffg.at). The FFG is the central national funding agency and strengthens Austria’s innovative capacity.
• This project sees funding via the European Union - NextGenerationEU.

Ressources

• Template for project submission: Download submission template
• Templae for the final report: Download final report template
• You can find a reference implementation for the simulator here: Example qiskit-aqt-provider
• You can find a reference implementation of a slurm job in the following repo: UIBK Helper Hybrid QC (we will help you with implementation)