End of an era for 117-year-old private giant in South Africa
IIE Rosebank College has announced its transformation to Rosebank International, as the 117-year-old higher learning group moves towards full university status in South Africa.
Rosebank International builds on a history dating back to 1909, as a key brand of the Independent Institute of Education (IIE).
The IIE is one of the largest private higher education institutions in South Africa.
The IIE’s educational ties date back 117 years to 1909, but it became a formal, wholly owned subsidiary of the private education group AdvTech in 2005.
In the tertiary education space, AdvTech owns a host of institutions, including Varsity College, Rosebank International, Vega, IEE MSA, and IIEHSM.
Rosebank College itself, meanwhile, was established in 1948 as a finishing school for girls.
The college was acquired by AdvTech in 1996, with the latest shift marking another significant shift for the 78-year-old school.
The college serves more than 43,000 students across the country.
The rebranding and transformation of the Rosebank College reflects the institution’s growing higher education footprint outside South Africa, including its provision of education in Ghana.
The group opened Rosebank International University College (RIUC) in Accra, Ghana in 2025, but is now moving towards full university status.
The transition towards a fully-fledged university also marks one of the first for a private institution in South Africa since the government opened the path for this to take place.
Historically, university status was only afforded to public tertiary institutions. Under the old policy, South Africa only had 26 officially recognised public universities.
However, in 2025, the Department of Higher Education and Training promulgated a new policy for the recognition of higher education and institutional types in South Africa, allowing the classification of private universities for the first time.
Under the new policy, universities are classified as large-scale institutions with significant student populations, faculty, staff, and infrastructure.
They’re split among traditional (formative and professional degrees), comprehensive (all kinds of degrees) and technology (career, vocational and technical degrees) universities.
They are also active in research, knowledge production, and innovation, and are engaged with local, national, and international communities.
To be classified as a university, an institution must offer a range of HEQSF qualifications from levels 5 (Higher Certificate) to 10 (Doctoral Degree), and a “fair number” of HEQSF qualifications must be at the Doctoral level.
Universities must also undertake research and produce knowledge that contributes to national development needs and international scholarship, and they must also address wider community needs.
According to Rosebank International, its move towards university status is being supported through the expansion of its postgraduate offering, including its first Master’s degree programmes in 2026 and upcoming PhD programmes in 2027.
Prof Linda Meyer, MD at Rosebank International and President of Rosebank International University College, Ghana, said the move is ultimately about preparing students for meaningful participation in the world of work.
“Education is about expanding pathways into the workplace for students, ensuring graduates are work-ready and able to contribute both locally and globally,” she said.
More private universities for South Africa
Rosebank International said there is a growing need for more private universities in the country, with public universities unable to absorb almost three-quarters of qualifying applicants.
Other private players in the tertiary education space have also expressed ambitions to garner full university status.
“Accredited private institutions are playing an increasingly essential role in South Africa’s wider higher education ecosystem,” Rosebank International said.
“They are helping to expand access for eligible students who may otherwise be restricted by capacity constraints, while also offering flexible study options such as stackable Higher Certificates, part-time and online learning, and distance education.”
The group stressed that university status is not simply a matter of branding, but reflects academic depth, governance, accreditation, research and capacity that is not fully represented through other naming conventions.
Further, it “is a matter of equity,” it said, noting that students at accredited private higher education institutions earn degrees that meet the same academic and quality standards as those offered by public universities and are assessed through the same quality-assurance system.
“Yet they are not currently afforded the equivalent status they have earned,” it said.
“The move towards university status marks an important institutional milestone. It also forms part of a wider effort to expand access to accredited higher education and ensure that students’ qualifications are recognised in line with the academic standards they have met.”
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