Emeris expands higher education footprint with major new KwaZulu-Natal campus

Plans are underway for the development of a large 10-hectare purpose built Emeris campus in the Umhlanga area of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal with capacity for over 10,000 students. The new campus will feature modern lecture theatres, innovation and collaboration hubs, student residences and facilities in a future-ready learning environment. The campus will combine academic spaces with technology-enabled learning areas, student support services and amenities aimed at creating a holistic higher education experience.

Construction is expected to commence in 2027, with phased delivery of facilities that will allow the first cohort of students to be welcomed from 2029. Emeris operates as the unified higher education brand under The Independent Institute of Education, delivering accredited programmes across multiple disciplines and preparing graduates for work-ready careers.

Emeris Managing Director, Louise Wiseman, says the investment reflects both regional opportunity and learner demand. “KwaZulu-Natal is a vibrant economic hub with significant potential for educational growth and skills development,” she says. “This new campus will extend Emeris’s commitment to delivering quality higher education that combines academic excellence with practical readiness. Our aim is to create a learning environment that empowers students and contributes meaningfully to the province’s future.”

Responding to growing demand for higher education in KZN

Located in the rapidly developing Durban/Umhlanga corridor, the site has been selected for its accessibility and proximity to major business and economic nodes in the province. The region has seen increasing development in recent years, contributing to growing demand for accessible higher education opportunities in KwaZulu-Natal. This expansion aligns with broader national objectives to enhance tertiary education capacity and provide pathways for skills development in sectors critical to economic growth..

The first phase of the campus will accommodate approximately 8,000 students across three academic buildings with advanced laboratories and learning environments aligned with emerging industry needs. This will include specialised facilities for civil, electronic, mechanical and mechatronics engineering, as well as computer science and robotics laboratories.

Additionally, student lifestyle facilities that includes a covered tier-one sports centre fitted to SuperSport broadcasting specifications, with a gymnasium two rugby fields with seating and lighting designed to Varsity Cup standards, a hockey astro with a dedicated warm-up area and a 500-bed student residence is planned.

Later development phases will expand capacity to more than 10,500 students with additional residential and academic infrastructure. Planning and environmental processes are underway, with further details on academic offerings and admissions timelines to be announced as the project progresses.

Simon Nicolson, Executive: Institutional Advancement at Emeris, says the development reflects a long-term investment in both the student experience and the surrounding community. “This campus has been designed to offer students a complete, all-encompassing higher education experience, combining academic excellence with strong student life, sport and residential offerings,” he says. “At the same time, a development of this scale represents a significant investment in the province. With thousands of students and hundreds of staff expected on campus, it will greatly contribute to local economic activity and play a central role in supporting businesses in the surrounding community.”