Property

Inside the new R420 million ‘university’ campus in South Africa’s richest city

Kirsten Minnaar • 5 February 2026

On 4 February 2026, private higher education brand Emeris held the official launch ceremony of its new R420 million, state-of-the-art “mega campus” in Sandton, Johannesburg.

Emeris is part of the JSE-listed private education provider, ADvTECH, which operates in the education and recruitment industries in South Africa and across Africa.

Its businesses include 24 brands and 17 education brands, encompassing over 153 education, training and recruitment sites across Africa.

It operates well-known schooling brands, including Crawford International, Trinity House and Abbotts College.

On 19 September 2025, the company announced the launch of Emeris, the new private higher education brand that will bring its Varsity College, Vega School, and MSA brands together under a single name.

“This strategic alignment amplifies ADvTECH’s commitment to delivering diverse, high-quality educational pathways, tailored to meet market demands,” CEO Geoff Whyte said after the announcement.

“By consolidating these institutions under one brand, ADvTECH offers students an enhanced educational experience, fosters collaboration, and drives innovation.”

ADvTECH also announced that it would build a state-of-the-art R420 million mega campus in Sandton, bringing together the existing Varsity College Sandton and Vega Bordeaux operations on the same site.

Now, the campus has officially had its opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony, just in time for the 2026 academic year.

“Today marks a milestone. Not just for ADvTECH, not just for Emeris and Vega, but for the future of education in South Africa,” Whyte said at the ceremony.

“We’ve gathered in the heart of what was once a set of architectural drawings, but is now a world-class R420 million, 47,000 m2 campus.”

“Today marks the moment when Varsity College Sandton and Vega Bordeaux officially come together under one roof as Emeris.”

The ADvTECH brand grows

The opening of the campus also marks a significant expansion for ADvTECH’s capacity, growing from 4,500 to 9,000 students – the initial number of learners which will be at Emeris Sandton.

However, Whyte noted that eventually, Emeris Sandton will be able to support 13,000 students on site.

Facilities on the campus include a double-storey library and information centre, and a student experience hub with career and counselling services.

The development boasts a custom-designed indoor sports centre capable of hosting international events and innovation spaces, including IT labs, podcast studios and interactive mock classrooms.

“We do things differently, and deliberately so. At Emeris and Vega, students can expect campuses in prime locations with facial recognition access.”

“They can also expect smaller class sizes, state-of-the-art student support systems, and lecturers who are not only academics, but also often active in their industry.”

“They’ll also experience world-class teaching and learning experiences backed by advanced AI technologies and exceptional career services enhanced by our deep institutional employer relationships.”

Whyte also touched on the broader state of education in South Africa. He noted that while private-sector schooling has been highly regarded for decades, the public sector has generally been seen as the better option for universities.

“That era is ending. Emeris and Vega degrees are accredited to exactly the same standards as the public universities, and we offer our students a superior all-round experience.”

He added that once the government publishes the criteria, Emeris will apply for university status.