QUTE.sk and the Institute of Physics SAS are involved in shaping the second phase of the EuroQCI initiative
On June 17, 2026 we actively participated in the international workshop Workshop about Experiences on Building National Quantum Communication Networks, held at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME). The event was organized within the CEQCI (Central European Quantum Communication Infrastructure) project, which brings together partners from Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, and Romania to coordinate the development and interconnection of national quantum communication infrastructures.
The workshop followed the project’s online kick-off meeting held on 29 January 2026 and marked the first in-person gathering of all project partners. Around 30 experts from research institutions, universities, and national initiatives discussed the technical, security, and organizational aspects of building a cross-border quantum communication network in Central Europe.
Morning Session: National Initiatives and Infrastructure Development
The morning session featured presentations from the project partners and national initiatives. Participants shared updates on the current progress of quantum communication network deployment in their respective countries, ongoing activities, and experiences with infrastructure implementation. The discussions also addressed technical challenges, security requirements, potential use cases for quantum technologies, and the integration of national initiatives into the future European quantum communication infrastructure.
Stephan Laschet from the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT) presented Austria’s experience in developing its national quantum communication infrastructure and outlined several application scenarios for quantum-secured communication, including the protection of sensitive medical data. Representatives from Romania and Hungary also presented updates on their respective national projects.
The Slovak part of the project was presented by David Polzoni, who provided an overview of the current progress of Slovakia’s quantum communication infrastructure, ongoing activities within the skQCI project, and plans for future cross-border connections with neighboring countries as part of the CEQCI initiative.
The programme also included a presentation of the planned Optical Ground Station (OGS) in Budapest, which will support future satellite quantum communication experiments. The station will be located on the roof of the university building and connected to a quantum communication laboratory via an approximately 100-meter optical fiber link. This infrastructure will enable future experiments integrating satellite-based and terrestrial quantum communication networks.
Afternoon Workshops: Cross-Border Collaboration and Interoperability
The afternoon programme consisted of interactive workshop sessions focused on the practical aspects of establishing cross-border connections between national quantum communication networks. Participants discussed device interoperability, software and system requirements, operational costs, infrastructure ownership models, as well as security frameworks, authentication mechanisms, and coordination among the participating countries.
One of the main topics was the preparation of cross-border optical links connecting the partner countries. Participants also explored possibilities for sharing experimental equipment between national projects to accelerate the testing of future network connections.
Particular attention was given to the possibility of establishing an experimental connection between Vienna, Bratislava, and Hungary. Such a cross-border triangle would provide a unique platform for testing advanced quantum communication scenarios, interoperability between national networks, and new applications of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) under real-world conditions.
The first in-person meeting of the CEQCI project partners highlighted the importance of close international collaboration in building the European quantum communication infrastructure. In addition to exchanging experiences, the workshop enabled detailed discussions on the next steps toward connecting national networks and preparing joint experiments that will contribute to the development of secure quantum communication across Central Europe.
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