“Real World Ready”: Sandton is Getting a New R420 Million Rand Emeris Campus

• ADvTECH has announced plans for a massive new campus in Sandton that will unite three major private education brands under one name
• The state-of-the-art facility will feature unique learning spaces, including mock courtrooms, podcast studios, and a custom-designed indoor sports centre
• This development comes as South Africa prepares for legislative reforms that could allow qualifying private institutions to be recognised as full universities for the first time
• Briefly News spoke to Louise Wiseman, Managing Director of Emeris, regarding the goal behind the new development

South Africa's private education landscape is about to change dramatically with the announcement of a groundbreaking new campus development in Sandton. ADvTECH, the country's largest private education group, has revealed plans to build a cutting-edge facility that will bring together Varsity College, Vega School, and MSA under a unified brand called Emeris.

The mega campus is set to open its doors in 2026 with an initial capacity for 9,000 students. What makes this development particularly exciting is the timing; it comes just as South Africa prepares for legislative reforms that will allow private institutions meeting specific criteria to be recognised as full universities for the first time in the country's history.

Read also

The importance of Grade 11 final results for matric and university success

R420 million rand campus features revealed

The new Sandton campus aims to change how students learn and get ready for their careers. It will feature a two-storey library and information centre, mock classrooms designed like South African courtrooms, and professional podcast studios for building media skills.

Students will also have access to a hub offering career counselling and support, as well as a purpose-built indoor sports centre that can host international events. These facilities are designed to give students real-world experience in professional settings.

Speaking to Briefly News writer, Nerissa Naidoo, Louise Wiseman, Managing Director of Emeris, said the goal is to close the gap between education and employment by creating the best student experience.

Each service is tailored to help graduates become workplace-ready through adaptive learning, wellness hubs, sports, and career support.

Positioning for university recognition

The Emeris institution has set key metrics benchmarked against public universities and worked with draft criteria to inform their preparation for university recognition. This milestone will align South Africa's higher education with global standards where countries have both public and private universities, broadening access and enabling private university graduates to receive the same recognition as those from public institutions.

Read also

"Something cool": CAPSI Africa launches pan-African youth competition

The institution uses AI tools for personalised learning to improve student academic support, ensuring graduates are AI-empowered citizens who can contribute meaningfully from employment. Their curricula align with industry demands, with assessment strategies requiring students to engage with real-world work experience during studies through teacher practical experiences, community law clinics, and brand challenges.

Building academic excellence with R420 million investment

The new institution announced through ADvTECH’s Emeris launch builds on more than 30 years of private higher education experience. Out of 300 academic staff, 203 hold either a Master’s or a Doctorate degree. They've accredited over 40 postgraduate programmes and remain committed to expanding postgraduate offerings over the next three years, with future-focused qualifications including Bachelor of Environmental Science, Bachelor of Sport Coaching Science, and Bachelor in Physiotherapy.

Emeris reviews qualifications annually to ensure curricula remain relevant in a fast-changing world, maintaining flexibility while upholding academic excellence standards. All professional qualifications hold required professional body endorsements, with the institution being the only private one in South Africa with ECSA accreditation for engineering programmes.

Read also

Teacher’s TikTok of geography prelim exam scripts with marks above 80% earns praise from parents

Other university-related stories making headlines

• Briefly News recently reported on a R3.2 billion university being built in Pretoria that has Mzansi completely divided, but the reason behind the controversy had people taking strong sides.
• Students went wild celebrating their R5K NSFAS allowance, but what they planned to spend the money on had South Africans shaking their heads in disbelief.
• Luxury cars spotted at Stellenbosch University sparked heated debates online, but whether they actually belonged to students had everyone questioning what they were seeing.

Source: Briefly News