Quantum technologies are developing at increasing speed, with some applications relatively closer to commercialisation than others. As these developments progress, there is also increasing interest in their potential impact on society. There is a clear need for the timely development of quantum governance through a collaborative and transparent approach. Many elements of the quantum technology ecosystem are already engaging on this topic, including technology providers, nation-state and arms-length bodies, research institutions, and technical fora. These conversations have recently reached a broader audience, particularly through the UNESCO’s 2025 International Year of Quantum, which has helped extend engagement to policymakers and international organizations.

Building on previous discussions convened by IEEE, this workshop aims to shift the focus towards showcasing concrete activities that put ‘responsible quantum’ principles into practice. The workshop will highlight practical examples of responsible quantum in technical fora, such as use cases for societal good; educational initiatives that adhere to principles of responsible quantum; national strategies; and technical benchmarking initiatives.

In this workshop, we discuss associated questions. The sessions will focus on:

• Responsible Innovation in Quantum Development and Deployment Practices. To be effective, it is essential that responsible innovation approaches are included at the core of quantum development. This session will explore how to incorporate responsible innovation during the research and development phases of quantum technologies, as well as how to consider societal impacts of that development on the surrounding ecosystems.
• Quantum Standards. Reliable, robust, and agreed-upon standards are essential for the development of best-practice, a level playing-field in commercial terms, interoperability, and industrial benchmarks that can shape the development of the field.
• The Role of International Bodies. Organisations such as the WEF, the UN and others have a clear role to play in both facilitating and moderating the international conversation around quantum technologies.
• Nation-Based Approaches. While many countries have national quantum programmes, the development of anticipatory governance or regulatory approaches show significant differences. This session will provide an opportunity for international researchers to discuss their own countries’ approach and confer on best practices.

The workshop will convene interdisciplinary stakeholders across the quantum ecosystem, including industry, academia, and responsible technology research, to discuss and share research on responsible quantum technologies.

Call for Papers

Emerging technologies face ever-increasing public scrutiny, and societal expectation around the responsible development and deployment of new technologies is on the increase. This holds true for quantum technology too, as the development of quantum devices is at a critical point while moving into commercialisation and broader adoption.

The recognition of the need for consideration of these topics has led to calls from industry stakeholders for guidelines and work on the responsible and ethical development of quantum. The workshop aims to convene interdisciplinary stakeholders across the quantum ecosystem, including industry, academia, and responsible technology research, to discuss and share concrete activities that put the responsible quantum principles in practice.

This year’s workshop particularly focuses on the topics of:

• Responsible innovation in quantum development and deployment practices
• Quantum standards
• The role of international bodies
• Nation-based approaches

Deadlines are as follows:

• Workshop paper abstract due: Monday, June 22, 2026
• Full workshop paper due: Monday, June 29, 2026
• Workshop paper acceptance notification: Monday, July 20, 2026
• Workshop paper author registration: Monday, July 27, 2026
• Final workshop paper for proceedings due: Monday, July 27, 2026

Papers should be no more than four pages long and should be submitted via the IEEE easychair website.

Main contacts: 
Carolyn Ten Holter, carolyn.ten.holter@cs.ox.ac.uk, Natasha Oughton, natasha.oughton@stfc.ac.uk

Workshop organisers:

Dr Carolyn Ten Holter is Senior Researcher and Policy Lead at Oxford’s Responsible Technology Institute and leads the work on responsible development of quantum computing within the Institute. Her other work at the Institute focuses on the practical application of responsible innovation techniques in a variety of domains including human-centred AI and the Defence sector. She has a particular interest in policymaking and governance for novel technologies, and expertise in participatory and stakeholder-inclusive methods. Her work includes liaising with the Institute’s networks of civil society organisations, projects, and other organisations that work on similar themes. Prior to academia, her background is in industry, law, and commercial ICT. She led on the organization of Oxford’s first carbon-neutral conference, the 100+ Brilliant Women in AI and Ethics.

Dr Mira L Wolf-Bauwens leads the development of new science diplomacy initiatives at GESDA (Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator). Previously, she co-founded and led the Responsible Quantum Computing research at IBM Research and served as IBM Quantum Technical Ambassador. Her work focuses on developing solutions that demonstrate technological innovation and societal benefit can go hand-in-hand, and on the socio-ethical and geopolitical questions that arise with the development of new technologies. Dr Wolf-Bauwens has extensive experience working in tech, development corporation, strategy consulting and as CEO of a block-chain start-up. She holds a PhD in Political Philosophy on institutional recognition and normative evaluation of emerging technologies from University of Zurich with Visiting Research Fellowships at Columbia University and University of Oxford.

Dr Natasha Oughton is the Quantum Computing Policy and Ethics Lead at the UK’s National Quantum Computing Centre. Her work focuses on responsible and ethical quantum computing (REQC), and spans carrying out research into societal, ethical and policy implications, developing internal practices and guidance, and enabling stakeholders on REQC across the UK and global quantum computing landscape, including convening the Responsible Quantum Industry Forum. She has an interdisciplinary background in both philosophy and physics, with a focus on quantum information theory and foundations, and wrote her DPhil thesis on understanding quantum theory through information-theoretic reconstructions at Somerville College, University of Oxford.

Zeki Can Seskir is a researcher in the field of technology assessment (TA) at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) – Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS) and coordinator of the project “QuTec: Quantum Technology Innovations for Society.” He conducts landscaping studies on quantum technologies (QT) ecosystems, education and outreach research in QT, and conceptual exploration for ELSA research for QT to be utilized in TA capabilities. He was a co-coordinator of the project “Quantum Technologies Education for Everyone [QuTE4E]” organized within the QTEdu CSA under the Quantum Flagship, and a co-founder of QTurkey, a local branch of QWorld, a global NGO operating in quantum education and outreach. His background is in Science and Technology Policy Studies (STPS) and in Physics with a focus on Quantum Information Science. He published on topics such as the QT start-up ecosystem, publication and patent landscape, stakeholder engagement, and democratization of QT. His research interests cover a wide range of topics from quantum games to innovation ecosystems.

Dr Karl Thibault holds a PhD in physics and is part of the development team at the Institut quantique (IQ) of the Université de Sherbrooke as Operations and Talent Development Officer. His work has led him to forge links with several key players in the quantum ecosystem while assessing the potential for collaboration with IQ, particularly in the development of the Quantum Fablab’s experimental platform. He regularly participates in the organization of international conferences, and is currently working on setting up new training, student entrepreneurship, mentoring and science popularization programs, as well as on the democratization of quantum technologies. He is also involved in the interface between quantum, society and our planet, which led him to co-found the Q4Climate (quantum for climate) initiative, to design a research project on the life-cycle analysis of quantum computing technologies and to manage the Quantum Dialogues research project aimed at anticipating the impacts of the integration of future quantum technologies.

Dr Catherine Lefebvre is Senior Advisor for the Open Quantum Institute, a GESDA initiative hosted at CERN with the mission promoting global and inclusive access to quantum computing and the development of applications for the benefit of humanity. Catherine has years of experience in building strategic relationships as well as research and innovation partnerships in global quantum and artificial intelligence ecosystems. She is board member of Distriq, the Quantum Innovation Hub in Quebec, Canada. Until recently, Catherine was Vice President Global Policy and Partnerships at PASQAL, where she led the international research collaborations and was convenor of the European Committee for Standardization Working Group on Quantum Computing (CEN/CLC JTC 22 WG3), as well as co-chair of the IEEE Working Group on Quantum Computing Architecture (P3120). She previously worked as Innovation Ambassador US and Canada at M Squared Lasers, Scientific Advisor in quantum technology for the Quebec Government (MEIE), Scientific Liaison Officer in artificial intelligence for the National Bank of Canada and for the startup ElementAI (acquired by ServiceNow).