Meridian TV and Southampton Institute have entered into a creative partnership to found Britain's first ITV Centre of Excellence.

The institute aims to create a training and research facility to mirror Meridian's intended new digital production centre at Whiteley, near Fareham.

It will offer new degree courses in broadcasting skills and will give ITV a purpose-designed training environment.

There will also be a Media Research Unit to take on commissioned work from broadcasters and study new media technology.

The institute says the centre's facilities will be shared with community groups and business.

In a statement, Meridian and the institute said the venture would bring higher education and broadcasting closer together for the benefit of students and local workers.

Lindsay Charlton, managing director of Meridian Broadcasting, said: "This move marks a major development in modern regional broadcasting, linking academic expertise with the industry and cutting-edge communication technology. It demonstrates our commitment to public service broadcasting and to our region.

I am very excited by the potential our combined resources will give us."

Professor Van Gore, senior vice-principal at Southampton Institute, says the centre will be good news for students and the city alike.

"Working with Meridian will offer tremendous opportunities to the institute, the city of Southampton and the wider community.

"As well as being able to work on industry standard programme production in its various forms, our students will benefit from masterclasses given by broadcasting experts.

"This partnership will enrich the courses we provide, attract business to the city and further enhance the employability of our graduates."