New university mega-campus launching in major South African city

ADvTECH has secured 10 hectares in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, to develop a new university mega-campus for up to 10,500 students, expanding its higher education footprint.

ADvTECH, Africa’s leading private education provider, recently announced plans to develop this new university mega-campus.

Construction is expected to commence in 2027, with phase one scheduled to open in 2029. The initial build will accommodate around 8,000 students and include a purpose-built 500-bed student residence.

A second phase, planned for completion in 2035, will expand capacity to 10,500 students, with accommodation increasing by a further 500 beds.

The land has been acquired from Fundamentum Property Group, which manages a large, national portfolio covering a range of market sectors. Fundamentum is also behind the 100-hectare-plus Westown development in Durban.

In 2025, ADvTECH welcomed policy developments that created a formal pathway for private higher education institutions to apply for university status.

“We support a clear and transparent process for awarding university status. As soon as the framework allows, Emeris will apply,” said ADvTECH Group CEO Geoff Whyte.

South Africa continues to confront shifting market demands and high youth unemployment, reaching 46.1% in the second quarter of 2025.

As such, ADvTECH explained that sustained investment in higher education remains critical to equipping students with the workplace readiness skills required to thrive in a fast-changing economy.

With continued expansion across all major economic regions, the group said it is reinforcing its position as the leading national higher education provider in South Africa, investing in growth, scale, and long-term impact.

Emeris boom in South Africa

ADvTECH launched Emeris, its new private higher education brand that will bring its Varsity College, Vega School, and MSA brands together under a single name, on 19 September 2025.

Since then, it has also launched two other tertiary developments, both of which opened in February 2026 – the Emeris/Vega Sandton mega-campus in Johannesburg and the Emeris Nelson Mandela Bay mega-campus in Gqeberha.

Valued at R420 million, the Emeris/Vega Sandton mega-campus comprises 47,000 m² in the heart of Sandton, Johannesburg.

The opening of the campus marked 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, the campus has the capacity to support 13,000 students, Whyte explained at the launch event in February 2026.

Emeris is home to many high-end facilities, including a double-storey library and information centre, and a student experience hub with career and counselling services.

It also 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,” Whyte said. “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 assured that Emeris will be applying for university status as soon as the government publishes its criteria.