As we near the end of 2023, I want to take a moment to look back on a year filled with growth, learning, and remarkable achievements at Eduvos. I extend my deepest and heartfelt gratitude to our wonderful staff, our talented students, our supportive sponsors; to the regulators and the many corporate companies and friends of Eduvos that have all contributed towards a year of significance for our organisation.
We kicked off 2023 with our most significant intake to date, setting a record from the get-go in Block 1, welcoming over 9800 enrolled new and returning students. As we progressed through the year with our three additional intakes, our total enrolment surpassed 11,500 students this year.
Award-Winning Higher Education
In addition to our incredible year-on-year growth, Eduvos was awarded PMR.africa's Diamond Arrow Award as the highest-rated private higher education provider in South Africa. This award acknowledges that companies and government entities that employ Eduvos’s graduates see the difference and the competence in our graduates; whilst also acknowledging that our current students enjoy and benefit from the holistic and practical approach to learning that we offer.
New Qualifications
To keep abreast with the ever-changing needs of the workplace and to ensure that we align with the skills and demands of the future industry requirements; we strive to continually revise and introduce new qualifications and update our modes of learning to stay relevant.
We were excited to launch our new Postgraduate Bridging Programme in Accounting (PBPA) which allows Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting graduates entry into a SAICA-accredited Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting (PGDA), otherwise known as the CTA (Certificate in Theory of Accounting). We understand that many of our Accounting graduates dream of becoming Chartered Accountants and we want to provide the pathway to get them there.
As we continue to embrace the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), we launched qualifications that will help our students prosper in a technologically driven working environment. Our new Microsoft Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineer will help meet the skills shortage as AI continues its enormous growth. Our new Higher Certificate in Computing, with its six streams, is aimed at working professionals who want to upskill and take their careers to the next level. We also launched a Higher Certificate in Information Systems (Game Design and Development) and a Higher Certificate in Computing (GameCraft and Development) to offer students the chance to turn their passion for gaming into a career.
Our Applied Science faculty is growing with the introduction of the Higher Certificate in Bioscience. In addition to bioscience-related subject knowledge, students are supported to develop graduate attributes that are essential skills to excel both at personal and professional levels.
We understand that individuals often encounter roadblocks, and the “traditional” path to higher education can sometimes feel unattainable. We have recently introduced two new access programmes to our offerings. Our BSc Access Programmes in Information Technology, and in Science recognise the potential of motivated and talented individuals with unique circumstances or educational backgrounds that may have hindered their direct admission to a degree. Once students have completed their BSc Access Programme, they will be equipped with the prerequisites and knowledge to articulate into their desired Eduvos degree.
Career Fairs
We introduced new employability Career Fairs this year that serve as invaluable opportunities for our students to interact, network, and explore career opportunities with industry leaders. Our Career Fairs featured experts from various companies in different fields, who shared their personal experiences, expertise, and knowledge about potential career paths. This interactive platform allowed students to gain a deeper understanding of what various professions entail and what it takes to succeed in them. Eduvos has also continued to grow our Industry Partnership list significantly, aligned with the expansion of our work-integrated learning programmes. These deepen the industry experience of our students and assist in expediting their assimilation into the workforce.
The Employability Affiliation Agreements
These Employability Affiliation Agreements were established in 2023 and served as a valuable bridge to enhance students' employability by nurturing practical skills, industry knowledge, and networking opportunities. The collaboration with corporations allowed Eduvos to align with the dynamic demands of the job market, ensuring that graduates possessed relevant and up-to-date skills. Through participation in internships, joint graduate programmes, and collaboration with industry professionals at various events, students gained real-world insights and hands-on experience, making them more appealing to employers. Some of the companies affiliated with in 2023 included B-Logic, Signa, MTN Next Gen Woman in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), SANCA, and Cyberlogic.
Eduvos Esports
As we continue to innovate in the higher education market, the success of launching esports across our 12 campuses is indescribable. Gaming provides a sense of community and belonging, by allowing students from diverse backgrounds and identities to connect and share a common interest. Esports also hold potential for learning, especially in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), however, it is not just students in STEM who can hone their skills in esports. Fashion, graphic design, and government policies have all been influenced by esports. We look forward to seeing students across all four faculties find opportunities to learn skills that they can apply to their studies.
Campus of the Future
As we continue to grow our campuses, we recognise that Campuses of the Future will be places where industry, technology, innovation, and academia meet. Our Campus of the Future model, and look and feel, is being rolled out across our 12 campuses nationally where we are also upgrading technology and facilities. These will be spaces where students meet to learn and prosper in a safe and modern learning environment.
Grand Openings and Expansions
This year Nelson Mandela Bay campus made their big move to their beautiful new premises. The campus was opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, welcoming current and prospective students.
Then, to accommodate the growing student population and growing modern academic offerings. Our Potchefstroom campus celebrated its expansion, this has positively influenced its student experience and allowed students to unlock their full potential with access to their new resource centre and design labs.
To meet the growing demand for higher education, we are thrilled to announce the relocation of our Claremont campus to the brand-new Mowbray campus site, located against the scenic backdrop of Cape Town’s mountains. This move represents a significant leap forward for Eduvos as we continue to expand and shape the future of education in Africa. We look forward to its grand opening in January 2024.
Student Affairs
Creating an inclusive, diverse, and respectful campus culture is of utmost importance to us. We strive to promote an environment in which our students feel valued and respected and student engagement is a key element in achieving this goal. We introduced a quarterly Student Townhall, used to share Eduvos events, news, and insights with our students to keep them apprised of the 'goings-on' within Eduvos, our Academics, and student life across all 12 campuses. Emotional and mental wellness is key, and by launching our wellness podcasts and mental health ambassador programmes we ensured that students continue to be mentally and emotionally safeguarded.
This year we have seen an increase in active participation across extracurricular activities, clubs, organisations, and campus events. These are essential in helping students build social connections and develop leadership skills.
Wellness Community Engagement Projects
Our community engagement projects are an integral part of student wellness, providing opportunities for students to collaborate with local organisations, and community members, allowing them to actively contribute to their communities while honing their leadership abilities, building social connections, and promoting wellness. This year our students participated in a range of community engagement initiatives designed to promote leadership development and foster social connections. By partnering and actively participating with various organisations like Sweet Fragrance NPC, SANCA (South African National Council on Alcoholism), East London Child and Youth Centre, and Botshepelo Children’s Home, our students contributed to donation campaigns and events that helped address social issues and promote volunteerism.
Next Generation Learning
Our partnership with EON Reality, Inc. (EON Reality), the global leader in Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) has allowed us to leverage Extended Reality (XR) technology to deliver academic content in new and interesting ways for our students. Exposing our students to next-generation technology, like EON-XR, encourages skills development that increases their employability in an ever-changing job market.
Student Recognition
GradStar Awards
Five Eduvos students have made it to the Top 100 of this year’s DHL GradStar Awards, a programme which recognises the most employable students in South Africa. The Top 100 students were selected from thousands of entrants across the country.
Gold Pack Awards
Our Graphic Design students demonstrated their exceptional talent and creativity by winning accolades at the prestigious annual Student Gold Pack Awards, hosted by the Institute of Packaging SA. Six Eduvos students were selected as finalists in this year’s competition with five of our finalists securing top positions in their respective categories.
Eduvos Graduate Features
We have enjoyed sharing our very own Vossie success stories, ranging from past graduates to current students. We believe these stories reaffirm our promise to shape potential, student by student, highlighting the students’ Eduvos experiences, achievements, and praise. You’ll find a range of Vossie Features on our blog.
Golden Key Members
At the end of 2022, Eduvos became the first private higher education institution in South Africa to enable its students to access Golden Key membership. Over 300 Eduvos graduates have been invited to join the Golden Key Society and are benefiting from industry connections, employment opportunities, networking sessions and more.
Hack Jam
Eduvos Hack Jam is a problem-solving event that strives to facilitate creativity, innovation, and collaboration. It provides a platform where students with different skills can team up to transform ideas into real-world solutions. With the support of our academic experts, students are challenged to explore and cooperatively build something new or improve something that already exists with the support of our academic experts. This year, eight teams presented their project prototypes during the Hack Jam final covering topics that included Cyber Security, Mental Health, Accessible Education, Financial Literacy, Youth Unemployment, and the Digital conferencing experience.
Corporate Partnerships and Endorsements
Eduvos understands that it is only the first step in all its students’ career paths. There is a life after graduation, and we hope to make their transition to the working world as smooth as possible. As far as possible, we try to get industry endorsement and accreditation for our relevant qualifications. This highlights the relevance of our qualifications. All our IT qualifications are now endorsed by various industry bodies.
As always at this time of the year, we bid farewell to our final-year students and wish them well in their new journey of life. They will always be part of our Eduvos family. We too look forward to welcoming all our new student recruits into Eduvos next year.
Wishing you a happy and peaceful festive season. Only my best wishes accompany you and your families.
Warm regards
Siegie Brownlee, Eduvos CEO
Enjoyed the read? Stay updated with the latest from our Eduvos blog.
