The Quantum Quest: Young Minds in Quantum Computing
The Quantum Quest is an international online course introducing students to the mathematical foundations of quantum computing. With approximately 56 active participants on our Discord server, this year’s cohort represents a wide range of countries. Several Dutch secondary schools have also incorporated the program into their mathematics curriculum, resulting in a balanced mix of Dutch and international students.
Five Weeks, Five Quests
The program spans five weeks, during which students work in teams of 2–4. This year, about 20 student groups collaborate on weekly assignments that reinforce the course material through problem-solving and discussion.
The curriculum is organized into five sequential “quests,” each focused on a key component of quantum computing:
- Probabilistic Bits (Week 1)
- Linear Algebra Foundations (Week 2)
- Quantum Gates (Week 3)
- Multi-Qubit Systems (Week 4)
- Grover’s Search Algorithm (Week 5)
By offering a self-paced learning, each week includes a structured homework set designed to deepen conceptual understanding and encourage teamwork.
What Is the Quantum Quest?
Quantum computers process information using quantum bits (qubits), which can exist in many states simultaneously. This capability enables them to solve certain computational problems far more efficiently than classical computers and contributes to emerging scientific and technological advances. Research groups in academia and industry are actively working to develop these devices, raising the question of how they operate and how they can be programmed.
The Quantum Quest addresses these questions through a five-week online course in which students:
- examine the principles that make quantum computers unique,
- solve mathematical and conceptual puzzles in teams, and
- learn the fundamentals of real quantum algorithms.
The course is intended for motivated high-school students and early-university STEM students.
The Quantum Quest is jointly organized by the QuSoft research centre in Amsterdam and the Cluster of Excellence CASA at Ruhr-Universität Bochum, with support from the Quantum Software Consortium.