The College of Business and Economics at the University of Canterbury will offer one full undergraduate scholarship annually to a Gateway College student for three years of full-time study. The College of Business and Economics, University of Canterbury and Gateway College, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding, in furtherance of their mutual interests and as a contribution to increased international co-operation between them.

Professor Nigel Healey, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Commerce, University of Canterbury and Dr. Harsha Alles, Director Gateway at the signing of the MoU along with Mr. Senaka Silva, the Hon. Consul for New Zealand and Mr. Sumithra Gunasekera the immediate Past President of the Sri Lanka-Australia-New Zealand Business Council and the members of the Chamber of Commerce.

Through this MOU, the University of Canterbury will provide Gateway College with up to date information on its programmes, and support in promoting the University of Canterbury as a study destination.

Professor Nigel Healey, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Commerce was in Sri Lanka recently to award a full scholarship to Akmal Fazleen, a student of Gateway College, Kandy. Professor Healey expressing how delighted he was of the scholarship offer, said that the presentation made by Akmal was humbling and that he would give every opportunity to him during his study at Christchurch.

Mentioning how proud he is to have signed an MOU with Gateway, he said, that he looks forward to a long and fruitful relationship with Gateway where they can offer Gateway students the opportunity to build on their outstanding academic results obtained from their education at Gateway College and achieve their academic goals.

Prime Minister of New Zealand, John Key, is a Distinguished Alumnus of the College of Business and Economics, University of Canterbury.

Established in 1873 by Oxford and Cambridge scholars, University of Canterbury is ranked within the top 200 universities in the world and within the top 3 in New Zealand. With a student population of 22,000, with almost 10% of them International, the University provides inspirational teaching and world-class research in a vibrant campus environment. Its Commerce Faculty, established in 1906, provides one of the oldest B Com degrees. Graduates of the College of Business and Economics include the Prime Minister John Key and many distinguished personalities such as Don Brash and Pansy Wong.

Having strengthened their position in the Primary and Secondary sectors, Gateway has now embarked into the tertiary sector.

With this initiative, Gateway College brings a new dimension to the institution where they provide education from Play Group (2 ½ years+) to Degree Level, with a new focus and theme - "Foundation to Graduation".

Gateway, has opened new horizons in tertiary education through its Graduate School and the links with overseas universities in the UK, USA, Australia and now with New Zealand. The pioneering efforts of Mr. Senaka Silva, the Hon. Consul for New Zealand in Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka-Australia-New Zealand Business Council where Mr. Silva is the current President have contributed much towards the success of this partnership.