UC and Gough Family Foundation renew MBA Leaders Scholarship

13 February 2025: UC and the Gough Family Foundation have renewed their MBA Leaders Scholarship, enhancing its uniqueness with international opportunities and leadership growth.

UC’s Tumu Whakarae | Vice-Chancellor Professor Cheryl de la Rey with Gough Family Foundation founders Ben and Penny Gough at the signing of the new agreement.

Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) has announced the renewal of its longstanding partnership with the Gough Family Foundation, extending the Gough Family Foundation MBA Leaders Scholarship for a further four years, taking it through to 2030. This strategic collaboration reflects a shared commitment to empowering emerging leaders to make a meaningful impact in Waitaha Canterbury, Aotearoa New Zealand, and beyond.

Ben Gough, founder of the Gough Family Foundation, emphasised the importance of this partnership in building leadership capacity that benefits both the commercial and community sectors.

“Playing to the strengths and relationships of both UC and the Gough Family Foundation has enabled scholars to learn at some of the most prestigious universities in the world, and gain access to some of the best business minds in New Zealand,” Gough said. “The outcomes of this opportunity, provide positive impact to all areas of their lives, personally, professionally and to their communities through giving back, which is a key area we look for in applicants.”

The renewed programme has been refined to align even more closely with UC and the Gough Family Foundation’s shared vision, and to further enhance the offering, feedback from previous scholars has also been incorporated.

The scholarship now offers expanded access to international opportunities, providing scholars with global perspectives on leadership and innovation. Scholars will have the chance to partner with prestigious institutions such as Stanford University in the United States and Aalto University in Finland. This includes opportunities to undertake study like Stanford’s renowned Design Thinking paper, fostering international networks, knowledge exchange, and leadership skills. This aligns with the scholarship’s vision of “taking the best of Waitaha Canterbury to the world and bringing the best of the world to Aotearoa, New Zealand”.

Another highlight of the programme is the bespoke Courage in Leadership course, offered in partnership with Outward Bound. Refined based on previous scholar experiences, this experiential leadership course combines practical challenges with reflection, creating a transformative learning journey.

The scholarship package includes:

• The provision of a large portion of the UC MBA course fees
• An international experience grant for global learning opportunities
• An experiential Outward Bound Courage in Leadership course
• One-on-one mentoring with a successful New Zealand business leader

Scholarship recipients pursue their globally recognised MBA degree at the triple-crown-accredited Te Kura Umanga | UC Business School, placing them among a select group of leaders equipped to address complex challenges and create lasting impact.

As the scholarship cohort and mentor network expand, the programme’s impact continues to grow. This dynamic community of scholars and mentors offers opportunities for collaboration, guidance, and idea-sharing, with the potential to drive meaningful change in business, governance, public service, and not-for-profits.

UC’s Tumu Whakarae | Vice-Chancellor Professor Cheryl de la Rey expressed her gratitude for the Gough Family Foundation’s continued support.

“This renewed partnership highlights our shared vision to develop leaders who excel and uplift communities. The enhanced scholarship programme equips scholars with the skills and global perspectives needed for modern leadership,” Professor De la Rey said.

Launched in 2021, the Gough Family Foundation MBA Leaders Scholarship has supported outstanding individuals to develop their leadership potential, accelerate their professional and personal growth, and contribute to the betterment of businesses, organisations, and communities. Through this programme, the Gough Family Foundation and UC aim to empower scholars to transform their visionary ideas into reality, delivering tangible outcomes that uplift individuals, businesses, and communities.

Each year, three scholarships are awarded to exceptional candidates enrolled in UC’s MBA programme at Te Kura Umanga | UC Business School. Recipients are selected based on their leadership potential, character, commercial capability, and commitment to creating a positive impact.