Prominent New Zealand businessman and philanthropist Tony Falkenstein is donating half a million dollars to enable students at the University's Management School to travel overseas and gain hands-on exposure to global business innovation.

The overseas study tour is part of a new capstone paper in Waikato's four-year Bachelor of Management Studies with Honours degree.

The university says this and other changes to the degree will more clearly place the BMS(Hons) as New Zealand's premier business degree for aspiring CEOs and entrepreneurs to succeed internationally.

Professor Tim Coltman, Dean of Waikato Management School, says the overseas study tour will bring classroom learning to life and ensure the students graduate with an advanced understanding of global business practice.

'Tony's half a million dollar donation is the largest of its kind to directly benefit students since the school was founded in 1972,” says Tim.

Tony is the founder and chief executive of Just Water International Ltd.