Akademia, a private Afrikaans university owned by Solidarity, is set to launch a campus for full-time Western Cape students, with the university expecting the new facility to be ready by 2026, adding to its two campuses in Centurion, as reported by MyBroadband.
There are already three Akademia study centres for part-time students in George, Paarl and Somerset West.
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According to Akademia, the decision to establish a full-time campus in the Western Cape was informed by ‘thorough demographic research’, as the province has ‘the highest concentration of Afrikaans speakers in the country’.
‘This reality speaks to the institution’s reason for being as an independent higher education institution that is intimately connected to the Afrikaans language and culture,’ said Akademia.
The campus will offer students courses in the university’s five faculties: Economics and Management Sciences, Humanities, Law, Natural Sciences and Teacher Education.
While there are no specific timelines for the opening of the new campus, an operations manager for the Western Cape has been appointed to search for a suitable location.
The current plan is to establish the campus in the triangle formed by Stellenbosch, Paarl and the the northern suburbs.
Akademia has been operating for 12 years since being established by the Solidarity Movement, which includes its Solidarity trade union, civil rights group Afriforum and charity organisation Helpende Hand.
From 2012 to 2022, the student intake of Akademia grew from 40 to 2 350, staff from five to nearly 200 and courses from four to 17.
The university may also accept applicants with the following alternative qualifications and achievements:
- A Certificate of Exemption, as issued by Universities South Africa (USAF), if an alternative school qualification was achieved
- A National Certificate (Vocational) Level 4 issued by the Council for General and Further Education and Training with at least 60% in three fundamental subjects, including the language of learning and teaching in the higher education institution, and at least 70% in four vocational subjects
- A Higher Certificate in an associated study field
- An Advanced Certificate in a cognate field of study
- A Diploma in a related field of study
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Picture: Flip Buys / X