The International Telecommunication Union (ITU)​ in collaboration with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)​, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) UK and Ireland Photonics Chapter are organising a Joint Symposium on Standards for Quantum Technologies taking place virtually on 23 March 2021 from 15h00 to 18h00 CET/Geneva Time.

This joint symposium will bring together world-leading speakers to introduce different aspects of quantum technologies: quantum communication, quantum computation and quantum measurement. This will be followed by an extensive panel discussion involving representatives from various SDOs including ISO, IEC, ITU-T, NIST, ETSI, ISO and CEN/CENELEC to discuss the general importance of standards for quantum technologies, identify and prioritise areas in which standards would be most required and according to which timeline (road-mapping).   
  
In particular, it will explore the most important lessons learnt from previous efforts to standardise new technologies (such as optics and photonics) and discuss how past methods can be applied now to ensure that different SDOs can achieve the correct level of harmonisation from the outset, avoiding unhelpful divergence without impacting healthy competition between SDOs. 

Participation in the symposium is open for ITU Member States, Sector Members, Associates and Academic Institutions and to any individual from a country that is a member of ITU. This includes individuals who are also members of international, regional and national organizations, specifically the members of IEC and the IEEE UK and Ireland Photonics Chapter.
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​Participation in the symposium is free of charge. Registration to the event is mandatory.