The company said the AU$30 million facility will be a base for collaborative innovation with local businesses and will host training on "the latest high tech ICT equipment" for customers, students, partner organisations and its own staff.
"With the capacity to train over 2,000 people each year, the new centre is equipped with the latest technology including wireless, fixed technology as well as unified communication solutions," Huawei said.
The company said it would fund technology training for students enlisted at least 100 universities or technical and further education providers.
Ken Hu, Huawei's global rotating chief executive, said: "Innovation has become part of our DNA. That’s why we invest at least 10% of our revenue each year in R&D since its founding in 1987. Just like capital and technology, talent is a key success factor for innovation."
In March, Huawei announced it was partnering with German software developer SAP to create new products for the internet of things (IoT). Many other companies are also exploring collaborative projects in an effort to ensure they are at the forefront of digital innovation.
Technology law expert Peter Bullock of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com, said that Huawei faces "additional hurdles" to those experienced by other established brands in the global market.
"Huawei faces many of the hurdles encountered by the ‘traditional’ first world device brands, of competition, relentless innovation cycle and supply chain uncertainties, plus two additional hurdles," Bullock said. "Huawei has very low brand recognition in prime western markets, perhaps not helped by what is an unpronounceable name for many. It also suffers from hostility in some major markets owing to political issues as a Chinese owned company."
"To overcome these additional constraints, Huawei has been focusing on western markets which have shown themselves to be more open to its investment. One such market is the UK, and Australia appears to be similarly open to Huawei’s wish to collaborate and invest. Of course, a by-product of this is hopefully some genuine innovation for the company which would not have occurred from its traditional endeavours from its enormous campus in Shenzhen, South China," he said.
