By Levy Masiteng
South African education group Advtech is planning to build a new university “mega-campus” in Durban after securing 10 hectares of land for the development.
Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the first phase scheduled to be completed and open in 2029, the group said.
The initial build is planned to accommodate about 8,000 students and include a purpose-built 500-bed student residence.
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A second phase, targeted for completion in 2035, would expand overall capacity to about 10,500 students and add a further 500 residence beds, taking planned on-site accommodation to 1,000 beds, Advtech said.
The Durban project follows two other major tertiary developments that opened in February 2026 — the Emeris/Vega Sandton mega-campus in Johannesburg and the Emeris Nelson Mandela Bay mega-campus in Gqeberha.
Advtech Group Chief Executive Geoff Whyte said the Durban development forms part of the group’s longer-term growth plans in higher education.
“As South Africa confronts high youth unemployment and rapidly shifting market demands, sustained investment in higher education remains critical,” Whyte said.
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“This new Durban mega-campus reflects our confidence in the province and our commitment to equipping students with the workplace readiness skills required to thrive in a fast-changing economy.”
Whyte also pointed to recent policy developments that, he said, create 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,” he said.
