News & Research

Official identity for Gia Lai Quantum Year 2026. Source: VNQuantum

A Province Embracing Quantum Technology

Addressing an audience of around 1,000 guests, Gia Lai Provincial Chairman Phạm Anh Tuấn said the province's decision to launch a Quantum Year was not because every condition was perfectly in place, but because the moment to act had arrived, so preparation must begin today to avoid missing the opportunities of the future.

Dr. Nguyen Luong Quang, IAS Managing Director and Head of R&D at VNQuantum — co-organiser of Gia Lai Quantum Year 2026 alongside the province and the National Innovation Center (NIC) — said the direction from Vietnam's Resolution 57 is clear in designating quantum technology a top national priority, and that the country now has a vanguard of Vietnamese experts at the global forefront ready to return and contribute, alongside a domestic network of enterprises and investors beginning to engage with the field.

Quantathon Gia Lai 2026: The Flagship Event

The centrepiece of Gia Lai Quantum Year was Quantathon Gia Lai 2026 (QC4SG 2026) — the second edition of the Southeast Asia Quantum Hackathon, following the inaugural event held in Thailand. Run July 24–28, 2026 at the Gia Lai Provincial Conference Center and ICISE, the hackathon drew 100 contestants across 26 finalist teams, supported by around 50 mentors, experts and judges from Vietnam and abroad.

At the awards ceremony, Team 18 – QAAA LAB won first prize for a project applying quantum computing to predicting dengue fever outbreaks. Through the VNQuantum Dealroom programme, promising teams are being introduced to businesses and investment funds, with continued incubation support from NIC and VNQuantum through the end of 2026.

A Year-Long Programme, Not a Single Event

Gia Lai Quantum Year 2026 spans four pillars — Science, Technology, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and Education & Training — and includes more than 19 featured events, drawing over 100 national and international experts and more than 1,200 participants across the year. Alongside the Quantathon, the programme includes international conferences on quantum physics, a Quantum/Semiconductor/Superconductor Technology Exhibition, an Expanded Southeast Asia Quantum Coordinator Meeting, a Creative Economy Forum built around quantum technology, and the launch of a Quantum Technology Discovery Center at Quang Trung University.

Key organisers are the Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee, the National Innovation Center (NIC) and VNQuantum, with the Gia Lai Department of Science and Technology, ICISE, the Open Quantum Institute (OQI/CERN), Quang Trung University, Quy Nhon University and Quantum Computing of the Philippines as co-organisers and partners.

Connecting to IAS's Broader Mission

The Gia Lai Quantum Year initiative reinforces IAS's strategy of building long-term regional partnerships rather than one-off events. With Quantathon teams now progressing through post-event mentorship and incubation, and the Quantum Technology Discovery Center newly established in the province, Gia Lai is positioned to remain a recurring hub for IAS's quantum computing and astrophysics programmes throughout 2026 and beyond.

Official Coverage

• VNQuantum — Gia Lai Quantum Year 2026 official programme page
• Vietnam Plus (VNA) — launch coverage and Quantathon results
• Vietnam News — opening ceremony report
• Báo Gia Lai (English) — Quantathon opening coverage
• Gia Lai Provincial Government — official announcement (Vietnamese)

International Quantum Collaboration

Dr. Nguyen Luong Quang was featured in a special Vietnamese national television report highlighting Vietnam's growing presence in international quantum technology research. The segment documented his tour of cutting-edge quantum computing facilities in France.

Strengthening Vietnam-France Scientific Ties

The visit focused on exploring collaboration opportunities between Vietnamese research institutions and France's advanced quantum technology ecosystem. Dr. Quang met with leading researchers and toured state-of-the-art quantum laboratories, discussing potential joint research projects and technology transfer initiatives.

Building Vietnam's Quantum Capabilities

This media coverage demonstrates IAS's role in raising awareness of quantum technology importance for Vietnam's technological future. By showcasing international partnerships on national television, IAS helps build public understanding of frontier science and its relevance to Vietnam's development goals.

The VTV feature highlights how IAS serves as a bridge connecting Vietnamese provincial governments and research institutions with world-class international facilities, facilitating knowledge transfer and capacity building in emerging technologies.

The delegation, led by Vice Chairman Lâm Hải Giang, explored collaboration opportunities with Okayama Astronomical Observatory, Kyoto University, Osaka Metropolitan University, and Japan's National Astronomical Observatory (NAOJ). Focus areas included quantum communications, semiconductor technology, and space science infrastructure.

Vice Chairman Lâm Hải Giang and delegation members tour a quantum optics laboratory in Japan

Official ceremony marking the partnership between Gia Lai Province and Japanese research institutions

Key Highlights

Okayama Observatory, Kyoto University

The delegation toured Japan's largest optical-infrared telescope, the 3.8-meter SEIMEI reflector. Established in 2018, this facility represents a collaboration between Kyoto University and NAOJ, focusing on transient astronomical phenomena and direct imaging of exoplanets.

Osaka Metropolitan University

Discussions centered on potential collaboration in applied sciences, quantum optics research, and industry-academia partnerships.

Osaka University & Kyoto University

The delegation visited semiconductor, quantum technology, and astrophysics laboratories at two of Japan's most prestigious national universities.

Strategic Vision: Gia Lai as a Regional Technology Hub

Vice Chairman Lâm Hải Giang outlined Gia Lai Province's ambitious goal to become a regional center for semiconductor technology, AI applications, space science, quantum communications, and climate resilience.

Next Steps

The delegation and Japanese partners agreed to exchange faculty and students for research programs, organize joint international symposia, and develop collaborative research projects with clear outcomes and timelines.

In a study published this month in Astronomy & Astrophysics, Dr. Quang Nguyen Luong and collaborators from Japan's National Astronomical Observatory (NAOJ), ASIAA/Institute of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, and other institutes, unveiled new insights into the chemistry of dying stars—cosmic "factories" that forge the building blocks of future planets.

Using the newly commissioned eQ receiver built in Taiwan by ASIAA and installed on the Nobeyama 45-meter radio telescope in Japan, the international team conducted the first comprehensive wideband spectral survey of CIT 6 (RW Leonis Minoris), one of the brightest carbon stars visible from Earth.

Why This Matters

For IAS and Vietnamese Science

• First major astronomical research paper from IAS since its founding
• Demonstrates Vietnam's ability to participate in cutting-edge international astrophysics
• Establishes foundation for future Vietnam-Japan collaborative projects
• Positions IAS for leadership role in planned BLADE telescope facility

Key Findings

1. Evidence of Advanced Evolution

Molecular abundances in CIT 6 are approximately one order of magnitude lower than in IRC+10216, indicating that CIT 6 represents a more physically evolved stellar system.

2. Depletion of Silicon and Sulfur

Molecules containing silicon (SiS) and sulfur (CS) show significant depletion, suggesting incorporation into solid dust grains or destruction by shock waves in the stellar outflow.

3. Persistent Carbon-Chain Chemistry

Despite overall molecular depletion, long carbon-chain molecules (HC₅N, HC₇N) remain relatively abundant, demonstrating that carbon-chain chemistry operates efficiently even in advanced evolutionary stages.

Publication Details

Title: "A spectral-line survey of CIT 6 between 30 and 50 GHz with the eQ receiver at NRO 45 m"

Journal: Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 706, Article A127 (2026)

DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202558033