Software Service firm Polaris Software Labs Limited has entered into a unique partnership with the University of Western Sydney to contribute to local capacity building and help address the issue of IT skill shortages in Australia.

The MoU includes joint development of a short course on software testing for industry participants and the development of an elective unit on software testing for UWS undergraduate students.

The MoU also includes the selection of a group of students for practical experience and training in software testing on a project in India, and the design and implementation of an Australian Industry survey to ascertain attitudes and approaches towards software testing and the difficulties arising from it.

This partnership has been facilitated by the NSW Government's Department of State and Regional Development which helped Polaris launch its PACE Labs - a software testing automation and performance engineering Centre of Excellence - in Sydney last year.

Shares of the company gained Rs 7, or 7%, to settle at Rs 106. The total volume of shares traded was 2388914 at the BSE. IT stocks were among major gainers today as Finance Minister announced the increase in time period of STPI and EOU benefits till March, 2010.