Five new universities coming to South Africa
Over the next decade, South Africa will launch two new government universities and three new private tertiary education hubs.
South Africa currently has 26 official universities owned by the government, with two more in development.
This includes the University of Policing and Crime Detection in Hammanskraal and the University of Science and Innovation in Ekurhuleni.
However, many prospective students in the country are also turning to private institutions to further their education.
Despite already having many private tertiary institutions, three more are set to open in the next couple of years. While these are not universities by definition, they do offer degrees and are universities in everything but name.
Only South African public degree-granting institutions may call themselves “universities.”
Most other accredited private degree-granting institutions tend to call themselves colleges, institutes, or business schools.
These are the new institutions that are coming:
University of Policing and Crime Detection
Initially planned as a higher education insitution, a decision was made to turn the project into a fully-fledged university.
According to the department, the university will be government-owned, stressing the need for the institution to build capacity and professionalize the police service and crime prevention sector.
The site in Hammanskraal has already been identified. It already has bulk infrastructure on location – though interventions are needed to address supply shortages in the area.
University of Science and Innovation – Ekurhuleni
The University of Science and Innovation will be built in the City of Ekurhuleni, with a spot in Boksburg identified as the prime location.
This location is seen as idea as it is in a highly visible area with the “potential to establish an iconic identity overlooking the town”.
Key, however, is that the land is government-owned and offers enough room for future expansion.
Akademia
Trade Union Solidarity is working on a R3 billion private Afrikaans university Akademia in Pretoria.
Real estate development firm Kanton is working on the college, which will be constructed along Boschkop Road in Pretoria East, roughly eight kilometres from Solomon Mahlangu Drive.
Earlier this month, Akademia said that the campus would support an extensive academic programme with a capacity for 5,000 full-time undergraduate students and roughly 1,500 postgraduate students.
The campus will have office blocks, lecture halls, laboratories, an auditorium, dedicated research halls, a cafeteria, restaurants, coffee shops, a student centre, a library, and staff accommodation.
There will also be four men’s and four women’s residences with enough rooms for 1,500 students.
Kanton MD Henk Schalekamp said that phase one of the project will cost approximately R1.8 billion and should be finished by 1 January 2028.
Stadio
JSE-listed Stadio also announced that subject to regulatory approvals, it plans to start construction on its new comprehensive campus in Durbanville, Cape Town, in the second half of 2024.
In June, the group said that construction of the Durbanville campus would be funded 50% through long-term debt and 50% through cash reserves.
The group said it would proceed with construction after the number of students on its new comprehensive Centurion campus increased by 52%.
The group previously said that the number of students on its new Centurion campus increased by 52%, confirming its decision to start constructing its second comprehensive campus.
This will increase Stadio’s physical campuses to seven, with structures in Bellville, Musgrave, Randburg, Hatfield, and Waterfall.
AdvTech
AdvTech is also acquiring a suitable building that can be adapted into a university campus, subject to Competition Commission approval.
If the purchase goes through, the new university will result in a R419 million capital investment over the next two years.
“Expansion projects are currently underway at Rosebank College’s mega-campuses in Cape Town, Pretoria and Braamfontein,” added AdvTech.
“A new purpose-built Vega campus is under construction in Pretoria, adjacent to Varsity College, which will be more suitable than the existing premises.”
“AdvTech also completed expansion projects at the Varsity College Pretoria and Cape Town campuses to increase capacity in response to continued strong demand.”
The group also hopes to name all its tertiary education centres as Universities. Currently, all universities in South Africa are government-owned and private dedication providers can not call them universities.
“Recognition as a University will ultimately benefit our students, who will then rightfully be afforded the same status as their Public University peers. We continue to engage with the Department of Higher Education and Training to move forward on this issue,” said Whyte.
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