The final event of the Croatian Quantum Communication Infrastructure – CroQCI project presented the results of national advancements in next-generation secure communications. The project has laid the foundations for the development of quantum communication infrastructure in Croatia as part of the wider European EuroQCI initiative, aimed at building secure communication networks resistant to threats posed by quantum computers.
The University Computing Centre, as a project partner, was responsible for a use case on enhanced security of distributed data storage. Within this study, concepts of crypto-agility were successfully implemented using both Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) technology and Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) technology.
Through the project, elements of a quantum communication network were developed and tested, including the architecture of the future national QCI infrastructure, terrestrial optical infrastructure, solutions for cryptographic key management, and possibilities for connecting with the future space component of quantum communication. In this way, Croatia has created the prerequisites for integration into the European quantum communication infrastructure and participation in the development of a new generation of secure digital networks.
Quantum communications are transitioning from laboratory conditions to broader infrastructural application. This advancement is not currently matched by an increase in trained personnel in quantum technologies, making the CroQCI project an important first step toward initial awareness-raising and education. SRCE, in the form of organized webinars and online courses in cooperation with project partners, provided the first insight into QKD technology, initiating the process of familiarizing the academic and technical community with the basics of quantum communications. Educational materials created as part of the project have been viewed more than 1,600 times.
At the final conference, it was highlighted that the CroQCI project connected multidisciplinary institutional knowledge from the fields of photonics, quantum optics, quantum communications, development and management of conventional telecommunication networks, cryptography, and general network and computer security.
The development of quantum communication infrastructure is a response to one of the most important security issues of the digital age: how to long-term protect data, communication channels, and critical systems in a world where quantum computers will be able to compromise some of today’s cryptographic methods. The CroQCI project is therefore not only a research and technological project, but also a strategic investment in Croatia’s digital resilience. The project results represent a foundation for the further development of next-generation secure communication systems.
CroQCI is a project with a total value of 9.9 million euros, funded by the Digital Europe Programme with national co-financing and support from the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth. The project coordinator is the Croatian Academic and Research Network – CARNET, while scientific leadership was provided by the Ruđer Bošković Institute. Project partners are the University Computing Centre of the University of Zagreb (SRCE), Institute of Physics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing of the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences of the University of Zagreb, Odašiljači i veze d.o.o., and the Office of the National Security Council.
