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Backed by £93 million from UKRI funding, the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) is envisaged as a centrepiece of the UK’s quantum strategy 

The UK’s NQCC officially opened last week by Science Minister Lord Vallance. Located at the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire, the 4,000-square-meter facility will house 12 quantum computers used for further research into quantum technology.  

Unlike similar facilities worldwide, the NQCC offers open access to researchers, industry, and students across the UK. With over 70 staff members, the centre aims to close skill gaps through the UK’s first dedicated quantum apprenticeship programme, as well as PhD placements.  

The initiative aligns with the UK’s goal of using quantum technology to drive advancements in sectors like healthcare, energy, and artificial intelligence. 

The NQCC is also set to play a major role in the UK’s ten-year quantum strategy, which will invest £2.5 billion on quantum research, innovation, and skills. Key projects within this strategy include optimising energy grids to reduce power loss, accelerating drug discovery, and improving climate predictions.  

Quantum computing is expected to be orders of magnitude more powerful than traditional supercomputers, allowing for calculations that would normally take years to be completed in minutes’  

The National Quantum Computing Centre marks a vital step forward in the UK’s efforts to advance quantum technologies,” said Science Minister Lord Vallance in a statement. 

“By making its facilities available to users from across industry and academia, and with its focus on making quantum computers practically useable at scale, this Centre will help them solve some of the biggest challenges we face, w 

hether it’s delivering advances in healthcare, enhancing energy efficiency, tackling climate change, or inventing new materials,” he continued. 

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