New private university in SA set to welcome students in 2026
A new private university campus with comprehensive facilities is currently under construction in the northern suburbs of Cape Town.
The private university in Durbanville will house Stadio’s main facility, representing a major advancement in expanding access to higher education in South Africa.
JSE-listed private higher education provider Stadio is looking to enhance the Western Cape’s educational landscape.
The registered private higher education institution now boasts 10 academic schools and over 50 accredited qualifications.
It offers both in-person and distance-learning options.
“Our vision is to broaden access to higher education in South Africa, with a goal of accommodating 100 000 students in time,” says Stadio CEO Chris Vorster.
“80% of them will be distance-learning students and 20% contact-learning students.”
Slated to welcome its first students in 2026, the new Durbanville campus will cater to between 4 000 and 5 000 contact-learning students across diverse fields. These include IT, education, law, architecture, engineering, commerce, media, and design.
By focusing on large, comprehensive campuses rather than small, dispersed sites, Stadio intends to establish a strong presence that can rival the bigger public universities in the region.
Stadio’s new campus will offer a range of qualifications, from higher certificates to post-graduate degrees. This approach is designed to accommodate students who may have struggled to gain entry to traditional universities. Stadio also wants to provide more tertiary options for students in Cape Town’s northern suburbs.
“Our new campus will tap into the rapidly growing economy in the northern suburbs, including the planned Cape Winelands Airport, and create job opportunities, enable development in this new hub, as well as offer an alternative to commuting to one of the public universities in the region,” added Vorster.
International sports facilities
The campus is envisioned to be 13 000m² of buildings once construction is complete.
In February 2026, a rugby field complying with World Rugby’s turf specifications will be established on the campus. This field will be able to host international rugby games.
Voster said the new campus will benefit the entire Stadio community—comprising students, staff and investors.
“Those who choose to do their postgraduate studies with us automatically become shareholders through our Stadio Khulisa Student Share Scheme upon graduation,” noted Voster.
In addition to academics, Stadio is creating a full campus life experience, with facilities for sports, recreation, and social engagement.
Architects have ensured the campus will be both functional and sustainable, with features like rainwater harvesting and pedestrian-friendly layouts.
To support student life, Stadio is also collaborating with developers to offer accommodation options close to campus, along with other communal facilities.
This includes an underpass between the Stadio campus and Curro Durbanville so that sports facilities can be shared.