QSECDEF Certified Quantum Business Professional (CQBP)

Session Overview

The second session of the QSECDEF Summer School introduces the core ideas behind quantum computing and explores the rapidly evolving hardware landscape.

Participants will gain a practical, non-technical understanding of how quantum computers work, why they differ from classical computers, and why there are multiple competing approaches to building quantum machines.

This session explains the fundamental quantum phenomena that make quantum computing possible, including concepts such as superposition, entanglement, measurement, and quantum logic.

It also introduces the global race to build scalable quantum computers, comparing the different hardware approaches being developed by companies, research institutions, and governments. Participants will learn why there is no single dominant architecture yet, how different technologies compete, and what this means for business adoption, investment, and future applications.

Who Should Attend?

This session is suitable for business professionals, investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers, technologists, consultants, students, and anyone who wants to understand how quantum computing is developing and why it matters. No prior background in quantum technology, computing, or physics is required.

Session Overview

This session introduces the core algorithms that sit at the heart of quantum computing and explains why they matter for business, industry, and future technological advantage.

Participants will explore some of the most important quantum algorithms and the principles behind them, including quantum search, optimisation, simulation, and cryptographic relevance. The session is designed to explain what quantum algorithms are, why they differ from classical approaches, and how they may enable new forms of computational advantage.

The second lecture focuses on quantum computing in action, examining how quantum speedups may be applied to real-world challenges in areas such as finance, logistics, materials science, chemistry, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and complex systems modelling.

The aim is to give participants a clear, practical understanding of how quantum algorithms connect to business use cases, emerging opportunities, and strategic decision-making.

Who Should Attend?

This session is suitable for business professionals, investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers, technologists, consultants, students, and anyone who wants to understand how quantum algorithms may shape the future of computing and business innovation. No prior background in quantum technology, coding, mathematics, or physics is required.

Session Overview

Week 4 provides a focused introduction to post-quantum cryptography, one of the most urgent and commercially important areas of quantum-era cybersecurity.

As quantum computing develops, organisations need to understand how future quantum machines may affect today's cryptographic systems and what steps can be taken to prepare. This session explains the foundations of post-quantum cryptography, the mechanisms behind quantum-resistant algorithms, and the role of emerging global standards in helping organisations plan secure migration strategies.

The first lecture introduces the core principles of PQC, including why current public-key cryptography is vulnerable to future quantum attacks, how quantum-resistant cryptographic mechanisms are designed, and what benefits they offer for long-term data protection.

The second lecture examines the wider cryptographic landscape, including current solution categories, implementation considerations, migration challenges, and how organisations can begin assessing their exposure, readiness, and transition options.

Participants will leave with a practical understanding of why PQC matters, how it fits into broader quantum risk management, and what businesses, governments, and technology providers should consider when preparing for a post-quantum security environment.

Who Should Attend?

This session is suitable for business leaders, cybersecurity professionals, technology strategists, investors, policymakers, consultants, compliance teams, and anyone seeking to understand the practical impact of post-quantum cryptography. No prior background in quantum technology, cryptography, advanced mathematics, or physics is required.

Session Overview

Week 5 introduces quantum key distribution and the emerging field of secure quantum networking.

Quantum key distribution, or QKD, is one of the most widely discussed applications of quantum technology for secure communications. This session explains how QKD works, why it is different from conventional cryptographic key exchange, and how quantum principles can be used to detect interception and support high-security communications.

The first lecture explores the principles of QKD across both ground-based and space-based systems. Participants will learn how quantum channels can be used to distribute encryption keys, the differences between fibre, free-space, satellite, and hybrid approaches, and the practical factors that influence deployment.

The second lecture looks toward the development of the quantum internet and secure quantum networks. It examines how quantum communications may evolve beyond point-to-point links, how networks could connect users, devices, institutions, and infrastructure, and what this means for future security, resilience, sovereignty, and strategic communications.

Participants will leave with a practical understanding of how QKD fits into the wider quantum security landscape, where it may be most useful, and how quantum networking could shape the next generation of secure digital infrastructure.

Who Should Attend?

This session is suitable for business leaders, cybersecurity professionals, telecoms and satellite professionals, technology strategists, investors, policymakers, consultants, defence and national security professionals, and anyone seeking to understand the role of quantum communications in future secure networks. No prior background in quantum technology, telecommunications, cryptography, advanced mathematics, or physics is required.

Session Overview

Week 6 explores the role of quantum technologies in the future of cybersecurity, with a focus on randomness, resilience, and practical security transformation.

The first lecture introduces quantum random number generation, or QRNG, and explains why true randomness is important for secure systems. Participants will learn how random numbers are used in cryptography, authentication, encryption, key generation, and secure communications, and why quantum sources of randomness may offer advantages over conventional approaches.

The second lecture examines modern cybersecurity through the combined lens of artificial intelligence, post-quantum cryptography, quantum random number generation, quantum key distribution, and cryptographic agility. It explores how organisations can think about layered security, migration planning, emerging threats, and the need to adapt security architectures as both quantum and AI capabilities evolve.

Participants will leave with a practical understanding of how quantum technologies can strengthen cybersecurity, how they interact with existing security tools and frameworks, and why agility is becoming essential for organisations preparing for the quantum era.

Who Should Attend?

This session is suitable for business leaders, cybersecurity professionals, CISOs, technology strategists, risk and compliance teams, investors, policymakers, consultants, defence and national security professionals, and anyone seeking to understand the future of secure digital infrastructure. No prior background in quantum technology, cybersecurity, cryptography, advanced mathematics, or physics is required.

Session Overview

Week 7 introduces quantum sensing, one of the most commercially mature and practically important areas of quantum technology.

While quantum computing often receives the most attention, quantum sensing is already opening new possibilities in measurement, navigation, imaging, timing, detection, and environmental monitoring. This session explains what quantum sensing is, how it works, and why it matters for industry, defence, infrastructure, healthcare, energy, and scientific discovery.

The first lecture provides a clear introduction to the principles behind quantum sensing, including how quantum systems can be used to measure extremely small changes in gravity, magnetic fields, time, motion, and other physical properties. Participants will learn why quantum sensors can offer exceptional sensitivity and how they differ from conventional sensing technologies.

The second lecture explores the commercial frontiers of quantum sensing, looking at where quantum sensors are being developed, tested, and deployed today. It examines practical use cases across sectors such as defence, aerospace, navigation, mining, oil and gas, medical imaging, geophysics, civil engineering, and critical infrastructure.

Participants will leave with a practical understanding of how quantum sensing is moving from laboratory research into real-world deployment, where the strongest commercial opportunities may emerge, and how organisations can evaluate the relevance of quantum sensors to their own operations.

Who Should Attend?

This session is suitable for business leaders, technology strategists, investors, policymakers, engineers, consultants, defence and national security professionals, infrastructure operators, aerospace professionals, energy sector professionals, and anyone seeking to understand the practical applications of quantum sensing. No prior background in quantum technology, sensing, engineering, advanced mathematics, or physics is required.

Session Overview

Week 8 explores the policy, governance, and regulatory environment shaping the global development of quantum technologies.

Quantum is no longer only a scientific or commercial issue. It is increasingly connected to national security, industrial strategy, critical infrastructure, digital sovereignty, export controls, supply chains, and international competition. This session explains how governments and regulators are responding to the strategic importance of quantum technologies and what this means for businesses, investors, and technology providers.

The first lecture examines the geopolitics of quantum, including national quantum strategies, governance models, international competition, border controls, export restrictions, research collaboration, and the protection of sensitive technologies. Participants will learn why quantum technologies are becoming a policy priority and how regulation may influence innovation, investment, and market access.

The second lecture focuses on regulatory compliance, with a practical introduction to the Cyber Resilience Act, NIS2, and DORA. It explains why cyber resilience, supply chain security, operational resilience, and technology risk management are increasingly important for organisations preparing for the quantum era.

Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how policy and regulation affect quantum technology adoption, how compliance obligations are evolving, and why governance should be treated as a strategic business issue rather than a purely technical concern.

Who Should Attend?

This session is suitable for business leaders, policymakers, regulators, investors, legal and compliance professionals, cybersecurity leaders, technology strategists, consultants, defence and national security professionals, and anyone seeking to understand the governance and regulatory implications of quantum technologies. No prior background in quantum technology, law, regulation, cybersecurity, advanced mathematics, or physics is required.

Session Overview

Week 9 explores the wider quantum market ecosystem, focusing on the economic, commercial, and strategic forces shaping the industry.

Quantum technologies are developing within a complex global ecosystem of startups, major technology companies, research institutions, governments, investors, suppliers, manufacturers, and end users. This session examines how that ecosystem is structured, where value is being created, and where critical dependencies and vulnerabilities may emerge.

The first lecture looks at the macroeconomics of quantum, including the quantum supply chain, enabling technologies, specialist components, manufacturing constraints, talent shortages, capital flows, strategic dependencies, and potential points of fragility. Participants will learn why quantum is not only a technology market, but also a supply chain, infrastructure, and industrial strategy challenge.

The second lecture focuses on horizon scanning, identifying the key commercial and technological trends that business leaders, investors, policymakers, and technology teams should monitor. It examines areas such as quantum computing readiness, quantum-safe security, quantum communications, quantum sensing, investment trends, ecosystem consolidation, emerging use cases, and the timing of commercial adoption.

Participants will leave with a practical understanding of how the quantum market is evolving, what risks and opportunities may shape the next stage of growth, and how organisations can better assess where quantum technologies fit into their strategy.

Who Should Attend?

This session is suitable for business leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers, technology strategists, consultants, innovation teams, supply chain professionals, defence and national security professionals, and anyone seeking to understand the commercial landscape of quantum technologies. No prior background in quantum technology, economics, supply chains, advanced mathematics, or physics is required.