This year marks the 100th anniversary of the initial development of quantum mechanics. The International school on Mid-InfraRed technologies for Quantum sensing (MIRQ) joins the celebrations of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (www.quantum2025.org), bringing together prominent experts, PhD students and young researchers in the fields of quantum physics and photonics. The school focuses on the mid-infrared (MIR) region of the electromagnetic spectrum, which has many important applications, including remote sensing, trace gas analysis, biomedical imaging, and spectroscopy. Recent advances in MIR quantum technologies have led to several important breakthroughs, including the development of quantum cascade lasers, quantum dot lasers, superconducting detectors, and direct detectors of quantum light fields. The school aims to explore the latest advancements and identify future directions of MIR quantum sensing. This summer school boasts a strong interdisciplinary character, encompassing theoretical and experimental approaches. The focus will be on the complexity of MIR quantum technologies for sensing, delving into fundamental science and technology transfer. The school finally seeks to facilitate knowledge exchange and provide an ideal forum for young researchers to broaden their perspectives and provide networking opportunities in this exciting and rapidly evolving field.

The school will be in part supported by the joint EU/Canada research project on mid-infrared quantum sensing and technologies, MIRAQLS (https://qt.eu/projects/sensing-and-metrology/miraqls), which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101070700. The school will also benefit from the participation of scientists affiliated with the Italian National Quantum Science and Technology Institute.