University of Newcastle has signed a five-year agreement with Port of Newcastle to collaborate on research, development and preparing students for the future.
Vice-chancellor Alex Zelinsky and PoN chief executive Craig Carmody signed a memorandum of understanding on Friday.
The agreement with the world's largest coal exporter comes four months after former deputy prime minister Mark Vaile stepped down as the university's newly appointed chancellor amid a backlash over his links to the coal industry.
Professor Zelinsky said he was excited to collaborate with the port operator, which is owned by China Merchants and The Infrastructure Fund, to make sure the Hunter region was ahead of shifts in the economy.
"We will strengthen our work with Port of Newcastle on new energy, including hydrogen, where I see huge potential for the region," he said.
"Together we have the critical mass to boost the local economy through industry-led energy innovation."
The agreement was part of the university's efforts to prepare its 39,000 students for the "workforce of the future".
"This means giving them the opportunity to work before they graduate and make sure we're shaping new degrees to what the region needs," Prof Zelinsky said.
Mr Carmody said the university deal would help the port as it diversified away from a reliance on coal.
"Through this partnership we will be able to identify collaborative opportunities in research and development, talent development and education, innovation programs, community engagement, diversity and new trades development that will be needed into the future to support the port's diversification agenda and local industries as they evolve," he said in a statement.
The two parties said they would set out detailed agreements for projects arising from the collaboration.
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