A unique scholarship for South Australian university students has been funded by the estate of best-selling British author Terry Pratchett.

The $100,000 biannual scholarship will support a student studying a Masters by research at UniSA’s Hawke Research Institute.

In addition, scholarship holders will be given the opportunity to study at Trinity College Dublin, in Ireland, for up to a year during their two years of study.

The estate of the late, and much loved, author announced the endowment of the Sir Terry Pratchett Memorial Scholarship in Adelaide today.

UniSA Vice Chancellor Professor David Lloyd said the perpetual scholarship, like Pratchett’s books, was a gift that would endure for generations.

“This extraordinary gift is the largest student scholarship of its kind in the history of the university,” Lloyd said.

“Terry was someone who was never shy of contributing to the things he believed in and as recipients of this wonderful bequest we are reminded of his commitment to inquiry and to learning.”

He said the scholarship would support students to complete cultural research relevant to, or inspired by Pratchett’s work, and linked to the Hawke institute’s theme of identity transformations.

“That opens a vast field for creative and sharp minds – anything from the study of satire and its impact on societal identities right through to the impact of information and communications technology in society.

“Whatever the research proposal in this field, we want to see topics that consider social impacts and investigate tangible benefits to society – it’s an exciting challenge and one that we think Terry would have loved.”

Pratchett died in March this year, aged 66.

He was known for his “Discworld” series, which spanned 41 books and sol more than 80 million copies.