QSI aims at training a world-class cohort of doctoral researchers (DRs) capable of taking the next essential steps in the highly demanding area of cybersecurity. We aim to build strong lasting links between strategically selected industry and academic partners, in different disciplines, via the development of novel technologies for practical applications in data security. In parallel, we will also combine, via a collaborative long-term interdisciplinary approach, expertise in all relevant communities to address key fundamental problems in secure communications in the quantum era, and the important applications therein. The planned training network will provide research and training opportunities to a new generation of DRs, who, in the long-run, shall address the Grand Challenge of providing "Quantum-Safe Internet", i.e., a communication infrastructure that is secure against not only classical attacks but also those enabled by quantum technologies. Today's Internet security heavily relies on computational complexity assumptions, and as such is seriously threatened by advancements in quantum computing technologies. Indeed, we have recently witnessed a wave of key developments in this direction by a number of IT giants, e.g., Google, IBM, Microsoft, and Intel. This particularly jeopardizes applications that require long-term security. The number of such applications is continuously growing as more and more of our private information is stored and communicated in a digital way, e.g., electronic health records, which are now required by European legislation to remain secure for a long time. This requires us to urgently develop and implement new solutions, as we plan to do in this Doctoral Network (DN).

The aim of the 3-year CHARIOT project is to reduce the risk and potential adverse consequences of ransomware attacks in Industrial IoT (IIoT) network deployments comprising severely constrained wireless embedded and other cyber-physical devices. Through the proposed research, we want to increase the difficulty of mounting successful ransomware attacks against IIoT and cyber-physical systems, making them less attractive targets for perpetrators. To that effect, CHARIOT will devise, design, and prototype creative, cutting-edge solutions for the detection, prevention, recovery and immunisation of/from ransomware attacks in IIoT environments. Research outcomes and artifacts will be made available to industry professionals and the IoT security research community, to benefit from our findings and to foster collaboration towards creating more secure IoT and cyber-physical ecosystems. Artifacts will include IoT ransomware datasets, a ransomware proof of concept prototype, and a toolkit for the detection, prevention, and recovery of/from ransomware attacks. These engineering artifacts will be accompanied by a set of recommendations and best practices for IoT developers and industries in general. The proposed research is aligned with the aim and objectives of the Research Institute in Trustworthy Interconnected Cyber-physical Systems (RITICS). CHARIOT is secondarily also relevant to the Research Institute in Secure Hardware and Embedded Systems (RISE) and the Research Institute in Verified Trustworthy Software Systems (VeTSS).

Unlike previous generations of mobile networks, the beyond 5G (B5G) network is envisioned to support edge intelligence, which is to provide both communication and computing capabilities to the proximity of end users. Wireless edge intelligence is particularly important to those crucial use cases of B5G, including smart cities, autonomous driving, wireless healthcare, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) gaming, where mobile networks are expected to be equipped with intelligent capabilities for prediction and shaping experiences to individuals. Federated learning (FL) is a key enabling technology for wireless edge intelligence, by performing the model training in a decentralized manner and keeping the data where it is generated. However, a straightforward adaption of FL from computer networks to wireless systems can suffer performance degradation in spectral and implementation efficiency, because of the complex wireless environment with heterogeneous resources and a massive number of devices. The aim of this project is to develop a novel scalable hybrid architecture for wireless FL by efficiently utilising the physical layer dynamics of the mobile communication environments and exploiting sophisticated service-aware and resource-aware collaborative edge learning. The novelty of the project is the development of this novel edge learning architecture, where the fundamental limits of the learning architecture is characterised by advanced mathematical tools, such as graph theory and stochastic learning. In addition, an algorithmic framework for quantifying challenging design trade-offs in the presence of practical constraints by applying sophisticated tools such as compressed sensing and machine learning.

The rapid growth of the rich variety of connected devices, from sensors, to cars, to wearables, to smart buildings, is placing a varied and highly complex set of bandwidth, latency, priority, reliability, power, roaming, and cost requirements on how these devices connect and on how information is moved around. Efficient communications remains a very difficult challenge for our digital world, and understanding how to design devices and systems that make good trade-offs between these different requirements requires skills from several disciplines. MANGI will underpin the critical mass and expertise in Bristol's Smart Internet and Devices Laboratory (SIDL) enabling the creation of a Next Generation Internet, with career development of our senior and most talented postdoctoral researchers forming a core part of our activity. Bristol's SIDL brings together the Smart Internet Lab (SIL) in Electrical & Electronic Engineering and the Centre for Device Thermography and Reliability (CDTR) in Physics at the University of Bristol, and has a world-leading track record, spanning the complete digital communication engine from novel wide bandgap semiconductor RF/optical devices to state-of-the-art high performance network architecture design and operation, on the pathway to enabling the Next Generation Internet. New devices and materials are critically needed as key enablers for the necessary transition from the current to the Next Generation Internet which needs to be energy efficient and provide highly flexible connectivity across optical-wireless domains. Using pump-priming projects to retain and develop our outstanding postdoctoral researchers, revolutionary interdisciplinary approaches will be developed in order to adopt high risk strategies focused on grand challenges aimed at enabling the Next Generation Internet. This approach taken is not possible with standard mode funding. Advances in component technologies, to provide higher speed/linearity, higher power devices, more compact device and packaging design, alongside use of new materials will have transformative impact upon network operation. The flexibility of the platform will be a corner stone of MANGI, allowing our most senior postdoctoral researchers to develop and drive their own research ideas, with interdisciplinary mentoring by senior members of SIDL and industry. This will help remove blockages in current technology and overcome the current internet infrastructure challenges. Standard research paths are not able to support independent development and innovation at physical and network layer functionalities, protocols, and services, while at the same time supporting the increasing bandwidth demands of changing and diverse applications, largely because of current limitations in semiconductor device and packaging technology and a lack of co-design of the multitude of constituent parts.

The primary objective of the QC2 CDT is to train the upcoming generation of pioneering researchers, entrepreneurs, and business leaders who will contribute to positioning the UK as a global leader in the quantum-enabled economy by 2033. The UK government and industry have demonstrated their commitment by investing £1 billion in the National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP) since 2014. In its March 2023 National Quantum Strategy document, the UK government reaffirmed its dedication to quantum technologies, pledging £2.5 billion in funding over the next decade. This commitment includes the establishment of the UKRI National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC). The fields of quantum computation and quantum communications are at a pivotal juncture, as the next decade will determine whether the long-anticipated technological advancements can be realized in practical, commercially-viable applications. With a wide-ranging spectrum of research group activities at UCL, the QC2 CDT is uniquely situated to offer comprehensive training across all levels of the quantum computation and quantum communications system stacks. This encompasses advanced algorithms and quantum error-correcting codes, the full range of qubit hardware platforms, quantum communications, quantum network architectures, and quantum simulation. The QC2 CDT has been co-developed through a partnership between UCL and a network of UK and international partners. This network encompasses major global technology giants such as IBM, Amazon Web Services and Toshiba, as well as leading suppliers of quantum engineering systems like Keysight, Bluefors, Oxford Instruments and Zurich Instruments. We also have end-users of quantum technologies, including BT, Thales, NPL, and NQCC, in addition to a diverse group of UK and international SMEs operating in both quantum hardware (IQM, NuQuantum, Quantum Motion, SeeQC, Pasqal, Oxford Ionics, Universal Quantum, Oxford Quantum Circuits and Quandela) and quantum software (Quantinuum, Phase Craft and River Lane). Our partners will deliver key components of the training programme. Notably, BT will deliver training in quantum comms theory and experiments, IBM will teach quantum programming, and Quantum Motion will lead a training experiment on semiconductor qubits. Furthermore, 17 of our partners will co-sponsor and co-supervise PhD projects in collaboration with UCL academics, ensuring a strong alignment between the research outcomes of the CDT and the critical research objectives of the UK quantum economy. In total the cash and in-kind contributions from our partners exceed £9.1 million, including £2.944 million cash contribution to support 46 co-sponsored PhD studentships. QC2 will provide an extensive cohort-based training programme. Our students will specialize in advanced research topics while maintaining awareness of the overarching system requirements for these technologies. Central to this programme is its commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, which is evident in the composition of the leadership and supervisory team. This team draws expertise from various UCL departments, including Chemistry, Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Physics, as well as the London Centre for Nanotechnology (LCN). QC2 will deliver transferable skills training to its students, including written and oral presentation skills, fostering an entrepreneurial mindset, and imparting techniques to maximize the impact of research outcomes. Additionally, the programme is committed to taking into consideration the broader societal implications of the research. This is achieved by promoting best practices in responsible innovation, diversity and inclusion, and environmental impact.