UNESCO Pushes Global Action to Bridge Quantum Technology Divide
UN official urges equal access to quantum tools as global gaps in knowledge and infrastructure threaten innovation.
Quantum technologies are evolving fast, but most of the world is unprepared to use them. From AI to secure communications, quantum promises to revolutionize science and industry. But a deep divide in education, infrastructure, and comprehension threatens to leave developing nations behind.
The challenge is twofold: Many countries lack the equipment and know-how. While leading economies invest billions into quantum labs and private ventures, vast parts of the Global South remain locked out of the conversation—and the opportunity.
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the danger is that innovation will be monopolized by a handful of nations, undermining equity and progress.
"Quantum science is increasingly recognized as a language," said Amal Kasry, Chief of Section for Basic Science, Research, Innovation and Engineering at UNESCO, speaking at Commercialising Quantum Global in London on May 13, 2025. "But there's a huge gap in infrastructure between the Global North and South, and an equally serious comprehension gap."
The 2025 International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, led by UNESCO, aims to change that. It’s a global initiative to boost quantum literacy, spark investment in underserved regions, and support inclusive policy development.
"Monopolizing the technology or the science by only a few developers can be really dangerous for the feedback of science itself," Kasry warned. "This limits the innovation, limits the progress, and we need to make sure that you have diversity."
She believes speaking "quantum" must become a universal skill—accessible to educators, students, policymakers, and the general public. "It's not only for the purpose of having more scientists and engineers," she said. "It's also about creating these critical skills and ensuring that the scientists have these skills to judge and criticize."
From Classrooms to Careers
UNESCO’s roadmap to quantum fluency begins with education. The agency has long supported hands-on science tools in classrooms and teacher training programs to build science literacy across age groups. These tools are now being adapted for use in quantum education.
"We have hands-on tools to help teachers and students in the field of science," said Kasry. "And it's not only for the purpose of having more scientists and engineers."
A flagship initiative now underway is an online course in quantum algorithms designed for African women scientists. Kasry explained that the course tackles both gender and geographic disparities.
"As you know, the number of women scientists is still relatively low compared to all the progress happening in the world," she said. "In specific fields such as quantum and AI, it's even much less."
UNESCO plans to scale the course beyond Africa and expand its focus to reach other underrepresented groups and regions. Future versions will include translated modules, region-specific case studies, and mentorship programs to support learners' long-term engagement in the field.
The agency also works with academic partners to create a global quantum education framework. This framework would standardize core competencies and help nations develop customized curricula suitable for local contexts.
"We are engaging universities and institutes worldwide," she noted, "to align quantum education goals and resources."
Access and Infrastructure
But knowledge alone isn’t enough. Researchers in low-resource regions often lack the lab infrastructure to experiment, prototype, or publish in the quantum field. To address that, UNESCO launched its Remote Access Initiative.
"This is basically to allow scientists in the Global South remote access to the laboratory equipment and sophisticated techniques that are unavailable to them," Kasry said. The program is currently active in 11 African countries and is expanding.
At the same time, the agency supports the creation of innovation hubs linked to science parks and universities. These hubs are physical spaces for collaboration, experimentation, and entrepreneurship. They’re complemented by a series of boot camps that train researchers in problem-solving, project management, and tech transfer skills.
"We organized several boot camps around the world in three different continents so far," she said. "We will do one in quantum science and technology."
The upcoming boot camp in Spain will focus on connecting quantum researchers with early-stage investors and policy advisors. Participants will work on real-world use cases—ranging from climate modeling to quantum sensors for agriculture—and receive guidance on how to turn lab findings into viable startup concepts.
Policy and Partnerships
Policy support is the third pillar of UNESCO's strategy, along with education and infrastructure. Kasry noted that only a few countries currently have coherent national strategies for quantum development. That imbalance risks reinforcing the existing tech gap.
To change that, UNESCO has developed a policy brief linking quantum technology to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The brief is designed to help governments understand how quantum advances can benefit the healthcare, agriculture, and energy sectors.
"We just finalized the policy brief targeting member states of UNESCO that will be launched soon," she said. "It’s addressing the link between quantum science and technology and SDGs."
In partnership with IBM and the Unitary Foundation, UNESCO launched a global survey to gather insights from researchers, institutions, and industry. The goal is to produce a comprehensive report by the end of 2025 that will guide international cooperation and policy development.
"Please help us by participating," Kasry urged. "We received more than 500 responses and are willing to get more."
"Quantum science and technology really hinge on collaborative efforts in education, policy, and industry engagement," she said. "Not just to raise awareness, but to enable access."
She ended her talk on a personal note. "In the beginning, I was against using the word quantum alone," she said. "I was always very picky about saying that you have to say quantum science or quantum technology. Now it's changing. Maybe this could mean that we are speaking quantum."
