From High-Order to High Altitude: HOAQS 2025 in the High Tatras
From September 15 to 19, 2025, the international workshop HOAQS 2025 (Higher-Order at Quantum Structures) took place in Stará Lesná, in the High Tatras. The event was co-organized by the Institute of Physics SAS (Michal Sedlák), the Mathematical Institute SAS (Anna Jenčová) and QUTE.sk – Slovak National Center for Quantum Technologies (Mário Ziman).
HOAQS 2025 was the first international event focused solely on the subject of higher-orders at quantum structures. This is a highly specialized and relatively niche research area at the intersection of quantum physics, mathematics, and theoretical computer science, with
relatively small global community actively working on these topics. Since the beginning the researchers from Slovakia contributed to development of this field. For this reason, it is not surprising the workshop was held in Slovakia.
The workshop provided a valuable opportunity for focused scientific exchange between experts. The program was primarily built around invited talks of worldleading experts (for all let us mention Giulio Chiribella from Hongkong, Alessandro Bisio from Pavia, Marco Túlio
Quintino and Jessica Bavaresco from Paris), which allowed sufficient time for in-depth presentations of individual topics, including broader context and open research questions. This format supported informal scientific discussions and enabled active engagement from
participants. An important part of the workshop was also the poster session, which complemented the main program and created space for in-depth discussions and more detailed exchanges on ongoing research.
HOAQS 2025 demonstrated the value of focused, small-scale scientific events in advancing emerging fields. By facilitating close interaction among participants, the workshop supported not only the dissemination of current results but also the identification of new research directions and potential collaborations. It contributed to strengthening international collaboration. Participants have agreed HOAQS workshop was a valuable experience that should continue to establish HOAQS community. All are positively looking for its next edition in 2027.
