Global technology giant Hewlett Packard (HP) is to expand its presence in Adelaide, with the creation of about 430 high-end technology jobs over the next four years.
An Innovation and Collaboration Centre is to be set up within the University of South Australia's new building in the city's North Terrace.
The SA government will provide a $5.5 million grant to the university to help set it up and $150,000 yearly for a student entrepreneur initiative, premier Jay Weatherill said on Monday.
The centre is to give students and small businesses access to HP's global capabilities, he added.
HP South Pacific managing director Nick Wilson said a similar university set-up had been successful in the UK.
"Our collaboration with UniSA in developing a four-year honours degree with give South Australian students access to world-leading ICT education," he said.
Premier Weatherill said beyond providing jobs, the initiative would be "the engine they put into the economy to create other enterprises".
"What will cascade out of the university are people with these four-year degrees, these honours degrees.
"Obviously the cream of the crop will be picked by HP as part of the their intern program."
This would provide an enormous talent base for the state and help foster economic development.
The entrepreneur initiative will support innovative students to pursue commercialisation of new ideas in the ICT sector in partnership with HP and other companies, the premier said.
The government will support training to help workers move into the ICT sector.
The university's vice chancellor Professor David Lloyd said the new partnership was a model for industry and university collaboration and the centre would be a first for any Australian university.
