Research in quantum information science in Singapore was initiated in 1998 by Kwek Leong Chuan , Lai Choy Heng , Oh Choo Hiap, Kuldip Singh as a series of informal seminars at the National University of Singapore. The seminars attracted local researchers and resulted in forming the Quantum Information Technology Group, informally referred in Singlish as "quantum lah" (you can read more about this expression here ).

In February 2002 the support from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) - the Temasek Project - consolidated research efforts in the field and led to a number of faculty appointments. In 2007 the Quantum Information Technology Group was selected as  the first Research Centre of Excellence in quantum information science and technology.

The Centre is funded by the Singapore National Research Foundation and the Ministry of Education . It is hosted by the National University of Singapore but enjoys a significant autonomy both in pursuing its research goals and in governance.  The Centre has its own Governing Board , Scientific Advisory Board (J. Ignacio Cirac, Atac Imamoglu, Michele Mosca, David J. Wineland, Umesh Vazirani) and is headed by Director  (Artur Ekert).