Tel Aviv (VNA) – Vietnam needs to build a national-level quantum ecosystem with close coordination among the Government, universities, technology companies, and industries in training, research, technology development, and commercialisation, said Dr Nissan Maskil, CEO of Qarakal Quantum.
In an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Israel, Maskil said Vietnam should place particular emphasis on developing human resources, research infrastructure, and technical capabilities, while gradually putting quantum technologies into practical use and moving toward commercialisation.
Israel’s experience showed that a competitive quantum industry could not rely solely on physics research or access to quantum computers developed overseas, he said, noting that countries should gradually build domestic capabilities in human resources, research, engineering, manufacturing, operation, application development, and quantum system expansion.
He proposed establishing a national or regional quantum computing centre equipped with an operational quantum computer as core infrastructure.
"The centre should serve as a shared platform connecting education, academic research, technology development, and industrial applications. Universities can use the system to educate and train the next generation of quantum scientists and engineers, while researchers gain direct access to real quantum hardware for developing and validating new algorithms, architectures, control methods, and applications," he said.
Universities could use the system to train scientists and engineers while accessing actual quantum hardware to test algorithms, architectures and control methods. Businesses could bring practical problems to the centre, test quantum applications, compare their performance with classical computing and conduct pilot projects before making commercial-scale investments.
The centre should provide access not only to the quantum processing unit (QPU), but to the complete computing environment: classical high-performance computing/AI resources, quantum software and development tools, digital twins and simulators, training programmes, application-development teams, and technical support.
According to Maskil, this model creates a continuous pathway from education to research, prototype, industrial pilot, and commercial deployment. The goal should go beyond a research centre to an innovation and commercialisation hub for quantum technology that trains human resources, advances research, supports businesses, generates intellectual property and fosters startups.
Regarding human resources, the CEO said Vietnam should invest simultaneously in education, universities, research infrastructure, engineering capabilities and industrial development. Drawing on Israel’s experience, he stressed that quantum technology requires national-level coordination among the Government, universities, research institutes, technology businesses, industries and international partners.
He noted that the quantum workforce could not consist solely of physicists, as the industry would also require electrical and mechanical engineers, cryogenics specialists, manufacturing engineers, materials scientists, programmers, algorithm experts, systems engineers and application specialists.
Vietnam could consider interdisciplinary training covering quantum physics and information, electrical and electronic engineering, computer architecture, software and algorithms, materials, semiconductors, manufacturing, mechanics and cryogenics, as well as applications in chemistry, materials, AI, optimisation, cybersecurity and finance, he said.
Maskil emphasised that training should be linked to actual quantum infrastructure, giving students and engineers opportunities to work with operational systems and understand their full lifecycle, from quantum physics and qubit design to fabrication, packaging, cryogenics, control, integration, calibration, software, algorithms and applications.
Universities could cooperate through a national centre and share quantum computers, laboratories, manufacturing capabilities, software environments and training programmes, he added.
"For Vietnam, industry should therefore participate from the beginning. Semiconductor, telecommunications, AI, electronics, materials, chemical, pharmaceutical, financial, aerospace, and defence organisations can bring real industrial problems into the national quantum centre," he noted.
Businesses should be involved from the outset in identifying needs, training, research and testing. Meanwhile, universities, quantum companies, and industry can then jointly develop proof-of-concept projects and progressively move successful technologies toward commercialisation.
Vietnam could develop a national quantum programme linked to a quantum technology and computing centre. The centre would provide shared infrastructure while universities will focus on training and research, technology companies on system development and technical expertise, and industries on application needs and market demand.
Regarding potential cooperation with Vietnam, Maskil said one option is to establish a quantum computing centre involving Vietnamese scientists, engineers and technical personnel from installation and integration to system operation.
Under this model, Vietnamese teams could gradually take on greater roles in designing, engineering, integrating and operating subsequent generations of quantum computers. Meanwhile, Israel could contribute technology, architecture, technical experience, simulation capabilities and software.
"The long-term goal is not simply to bring a quantum computer to Vietnam, but to work together so that Vietnam develops the capability to design, integrate, operate, improve, and eventually contribute to building the next generations of quantum computers fabrication locally," the expert said./.
VNA
