To celebrate IYQ2025, Sol Plaatje University is hosting a Quantum Day on October 13, an outreach event funded by the South African Quantum Technology Initiative (SA QuTI). The focus will be on engaging with students in SPU’s unique undergraduate Data Science programme (headed by Dr Alfred Mwanza).

Quantum Day will have two important guest speakers. Jodie Watson, the SA QuTI project manager, will present an overview of the programme, emphasising the opportunities for post-graduate study and research, as well as the current state of the local quantum technology job market. Dr Isaac Nape, who currently holds the Optica Emerging Leader in Optics Chair in the School of Physics at WITS and is an SA QuTI Emerging Leader, will discuss his exciting research on information processing with quantum optical circuits. These presentations will be followed by a hands-on tutorial introducing students to some of the basics of quantum computing.

Quantum Day will, hopefully, lay the foundations for many future such events at SPU.