Sir Douglas Myers

Universities New Zealand expresses its sincere sympathy at the passing and loss of philanthropist Sir Douglas Myers.

Universities New Zealand manages the Sir Douglas Myers Scholarship for undergraduate students to study at Cambridge University. The scholarship covers tuition and college fees, and provides a living allowance, which is worth approximately £34,000 or NZ$60,000 per annum, for the duration of their studies.

Sir Douglas established the Scholarship seventeen years ago to enable talented young New Zealanders to benefit from the same mind- broadening, international experience he himself had at Gonville and Caius College at Cambridge.

John Taylor, who convenes the Selection Committee for the Scholarship says, “Sir Douglas also believed very strongly in nurturing the relationship between the United Kingdom and New Zealand, and in merging and preserving the best values and traditions of both.

“His expressed hope was that Myers Scholars would become leaders in their chosen fields, to the ultimate benefit of New Zealand and its people.”

“He always said that the Scholarship selection day was a high point of his year,” says Mr Taylor.

To date, seventeen young school leavers have been awarded a Myers Scholarship.

The first scholar, selected in 2001, Ruvan Mendis from Newlands College, gained MA, MEng (Mechanical) with First Class Honours and is now Head of the US supply chain for Graze, a mail subscription business which delivers healthy snacks to over a quarter of a million people in the US each week. He continues his work with Engineers Without Borders UK, a charity which he helped to set up while he was at Cambridge.

A current second year Myers Scholar, Ethan Sorrell from Avondale College, selected in 2015, is also doing Engineering.  He is tracking at first class honours level, coming top in his subject in Caius, and aiming for Cambridge Blues in both Athletics and Football. He recently completed an 8-week internship in the University of Auckland Bioengineering Institute.

“Be assured Sir Douglas’ name and achievement will live on through the future deeds and careers of all these talented scholars.”

Our thoughts are with his wife and family.