Undergraduate program "Quantum Information Science"
What the country needs, what a young man does
Editor's note With the development of my country's economy and society, in order to meet the needs of national strategy, technological innovation and social development, the professional structure of colleges and universities is continuously optimized and adjusted.
This year, the Ministry of Education has updated the catalog of undergraduate majors in ordinary colleges and universities, and 37 new majors in 9 categories have joined the "undergraduate major family".
Accordingly, this edition launched a series of reports on "Interpretation of New Majors", focusing on the exploration of new majors in education and teaching, employment practice, etc., and in-depth interpretation of some newly added majors.
Interpretation of newly added majors①
◎Our reporter Wu Changfeng
The college entrance examination in 2021 ended smoothly.
The choice of which major to apply for is again placed before the candidates and their parents.
Earlier this year, the Ministry of Education announced the results of the filing and approval of undergraduate majors in ordinary colleges and universities in 2020. The University of Science and Technology of China (hereinafter referred to as the University of Science and Technology of China) was approved to establish 5 new undergraduate majors, of which "Quantum Information Science" was listed.
What kind of major is the "Gao Da Shang" major in quantum information science?
Is it too professional and cutting-edge to open such a major at the undergraduate level?
Interdisciplinary of Quantum Physics and Informatics
On May 24, the Quantum Information Class of Tsinghua University was formally established, with Turing Award winner Academician Yao Qizhi as the chief professor. The first batch of 20 people is planned to be enrolled.
Academician Yao Qizhi stated at the launching ceremony that, on the one hand, the development of quantum information technology has reached a brand new stage. Whether it is national strategic needs or the development of scientific research industries, it is necessary to plan ahead; on the other hand, in the long run, To achieve subversive and original breakthroughs in the field of quantum technology, multi-disciplinary talent training is the core.
"Quantum information disciplines have broader basic knowledge requirements than a single discipline field, and rely on the integration of multiple disciplines. The training mode and curriculum settings are significantly different from other disciplines. Therefore, they must be systematically and specialized training." Chinese Academy of Sciences Quantum Professor Guo Guoping, deputy director of the Information Key Laboratory and the leader of the research on semiconductor quantum dots and quantum chips of the University of Science and Technology of China, told the Science and Technology Daily reporter that as early as the 1990s, the University of Science and Technology of China opened optional courses such as quantum optics and introduction to quantum information for graduate students. Later, related elective courses were also offered for undergraduates.
"In fact, these majors have long existed in the study and scientific research of master and doctoral students of the University of Science and Technology of China. Now that the names of the majors are further unified and included in the undergraduate education, it is of great significance at the right time." Guo Guoping said.
"Quantum information science is a cross-discipline of quantum physics and informatics. The new major this time belongs to physics." Guo Guoping said that quantum information science and technology currently have three main directions: quantum communication, quantum computing, and quantum measurement.
The transmission of information is quantum communication, the processing of information is quantum computing, and the collection of information is quantum measurement.
Guo Guoping said that the intersection of quantum mechanics and classical informatics is a process of gradual evolution and mutual promotion, and a long-term process.
"For example, quantum communication still needs the assistance of classical communication. For example, quantum computing has improved traditional information processing, including algorithms, but it still belongs to the category of classical communication in essence."
He said that in order to achieve the tasks related to the quantum information field initiated and deployed by the national "14th Five-Year Plan", it must be supported by a team of outstanding young talents of sufficient scale.
Through the cultivation of undergraduate talents and the promotion of the intersection of quantum information disciplines, it is possible to prepare top-notch innovative talents for the system layout in the field of quantum science and technology in my country.
Quantum education is a battle for the future of all countries
"Broad foundation, emphasis on cross-over, focus on scientific research practice, and the combination of theoretical experiments should be the main training characteristics of quantum information science." Guo Guoping told reporters that my country’s research work in the field of quantum information science is synchronized with the international ones, and in many respects. The international leading position has laid a solid experimental foundation for the development of my country's quantum information science.
In addition to the Chinese University of Science and Technology of my country, Shanxi University, the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and other units have also opened postgraduate courses in quantum information science, and many domestic universities are offering similar elective courses.
"The establishment of the quantum information science major can be said to be a collection of courses from different colleges such as the School of Information, Computer, Physics, and Software that were previously scattered in the school." Guo Guoping said, from the perspective of teaching In terms of this, this should be an applied basic discipline, which is targeted and guided by application and industrial development, rather than a pure basic discipline.
"Many large foreign quantum technology companies are offering quantum information courses. A large number of sub-computing companies have launched a series of quantum computing education courses early on to seize the early market and cultivate user habits. For example, IBM announced last year. Recruited for a summer internship in quantum computing." Guo Guoping said.
The United States promulgated the "National Quantum Project Act" in 2018 to support the professional development and talent training of quantum information science; in 2019, it released a K-12 education initiative program that includes quantum information science from kindergarten to high school.
The EU has planned the training of quantum information technology talents in the "Quantum Declaration".
The major technology giants including Google, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Honeywell, Amazon, and my country's Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu, and Huawei have also established quantum laboratories.
"Opening a major in quantum information science at the undergraduate level will play a leading role. In the future, a major will develop into a department or even a college. This is the future direction of development." Guo Guoping said that the undergraduate stage is just a foundation. , Choose a direction.
To truly engage in this work, you have to further study during the master's and Ph.
"For example, the development of quantum computing is a huge system engineering, involving many basic industries and engineering implementation links, and requires a large number of cross-professional talents. The high level of complexity and cutting-edge makes sperm computing professionals a scarce resource in the world. At present. Universities, enterprises, and governments are all aware of the talent bottleneck encountered in the development of quantum computing.” Guo Guoping said that the addition of the undergraduate major in quantum information science at this time is very timely and necessary. It also reflects the country’s commitment to the quantum technology industry. Attention.
It can be said: the needs of the country, the young people do!
More attention should be paid to industry traction and integration
"The core courses of this major will of course include some cutting-edge courses in quantum information, such as quantum information experiments, quantum communication and cryptography, quantum computer science, etc." Guo Guoping believes that the undergraduate stage should lay a good foundation, first of all to learn basic courses, such as Informatics, quantum mechanics, introduction to quantum information, etc., we should also master the basic tools of mathematics, such as linear algebra.
"The country focuses on the layout of scientific and technological development, and opens the quantum information science major at the undergraduate level. From the perspective of talent training, starting to lead the profession, the enrollment base for graduate students will be much larger, and talents at all levels will be greatly supplemented and cultivated. "Guo Guoping said, this is like recruiting pilots, starting from junior high school and high school, there will be more opportunities to train ace pilots in the future.
In his view, to cultivate talents in quantum information science, more attention should be paid to industry traction and integration.
"For example, we let students from the School of Finance take courses in quantum information majors, and he will use quantum computing in the financial field in the future." Guo Guoping said, internationally, IBM and Google have already cooperated with various universities to train including quantum information. Talents.
Comparing with what IBM and Google are doing, some quantum companies in my country, such as Quantum, have produced more than 2,000 minutes of online video lessons, and published special quantum computing and quantum programming textbooks.
"Compared with the international market, the biggest difference is that we don't focus on the factor of integrating into the industry." Guo Guoping believes that the newly opened quantum information science major should take the path of integrated development and joint professional development, allowing enterprises engaged in quantum technology to intervene.
Quantum information is a brand new thing. Only by standing at the forefront of the industry can you understand what is most useful, where is the direction, and what skills need to be cultivated.
"Since it is a new major, we may wish to make new explorations in terms of school-running philosophy, curriculum settings, and training directions." Guo Guoping believes that the new major should be explored and integrated with domestic quantum leading enterprises, and even a dual tutor system should be implemented. Strengthen the interaction with the industry.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that it is necessary to systematically summarize the successful experience of my country's quantum technology development, learn from foreign useful practices, analyze and judge the general trend of quantum technology development in depth, find the entry point and breakthrough point of my country's quantum technology development, and coordinate basic research, cutting-edge technology, and engineering. Technology research and development, cultivating strategic emerging industries such as quantum communications, seizing the commanding heights of international competition in quantum technology, and building new development advantages.
"Let quantum technology penetrate into all areas of the main battlefield of the national economy, that is the essential connotation of seizing the commanding heights of quantum technology in the international competition." Guo Guoping said.