Christchurch is to become the new home of the global body that co-ordinates and manages Antarctic research in the 29 countries which are signatories to the Antarctic Treaty.
For the next six years, the University of Canterbury's Gateway Antarctica Research Centre will house the international secretariat of the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programmes (COMNAP).
Gateway Antarctica director, Professor Bryan Storey, says COMNAP's presence will enhance the research centre's global standing.
He says Christchurch is known as the gateway city to Antarctica, and is already the base for the American, Italian and New Zealand Antarctic programmes.
