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Debunking the myth: Quality education isn't confined to international universities
There is a common perception – a misconception – among students from African countries that quality education can only be obtained at international tertiary institutions.
Image source: Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
For many students and their families, the allure of studying abroad is closely tied to expectations of better career prospects, access to global networks, and opportunities to engage with advanced research facilities.
Names such as Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, and Stanford are immediately recognisable and seen as gateways to success, even though studying at such institutions comes at prohibitive cost given current exchange rates.
Tuition is not the only expense associated with studying abroad. Even with scholarships, students must account for costs such as textbooks, accommodation, healthcare, and general living expenses. These factors can affect the accessibility of international study for prospective students.
Overlooked in these discussions, is that quality, accredited, and internationally recognised education is also available much closer to home.
The prestige attached to foreign institutions is partly reinforced by terminology. Institutions carrying the title “university” are often assumed to be superior.
Yet globally, some of the most respected institutions of higher learning, like Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) do not use “university” in their name. The belief that only “universities” offer world-class education is outdated and misleading.
Legal distinction
In South Africa, the distinction between public universities and private higher education institutions rests largely on legal and funding frameworks. Institutions of higher learning, operating under a privately funded financial model, are restricted by law from using designations such as “university”, or “vice-chancellor” and they are also not permitted to confer honorary doctorates.
This technicality has contributed to the perception that such institutions are somehow inferior. These educational facilities are, however, fully accredited by the relevant authorities.
That said, prospective students must exercise caution, as some institutions create the impression of being universities without holding full accreditation, or present themselves as operating internationally when, in reality, their qualifications are not recognised beyond their home country it at all.
In practice, however, private higher education institutions offer highly specialised, career-oriented programmes, smaller class sizes, direct access to lecturers, industry-aligned curricula and innovative learning models.
These qualities are often more desirable than what is found at overcrowded and underfunded public universities across Africa. Private institutions are, therefore, a vital offering as they provide students with alternatives that provide top-class curriculum tailored to the modern labour market. These institutions are also fully accredited by the relevant authorities.
Higher Education
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A growing and credible sector
South Africa has become the continent’s industrial hub, and its private higher education sector has seen significant expansion to meet the increasing demand of a changing economy. The sector is increasingly attracting significant local and international investment, underscoring confidence in its sustainability and standards.
Recent mergers, acquisitions, and philanthropic investment in the sector illustrate this momentum.
Professor HB Klopper, Academic Head, Belgium Campus iTversity
By consolidating brands, diversifying programme offerings, or converting South African schools, investors and philanthropists alike are reshaping the landscape of private higher education. These moves are expanding capacity, improving infrastructure, and making quality education accessible to a broader spectrum of students, including those from underserved communities.
One notable example, by bringing together Belgium Campus iTversity, IMM Graduate School, and Eduvos, Uxi Private Higher Education now offers a wide spectrum of qualifications, from entry-level certificates to advanced degrees in fields such as robotics. Such breadth directly addresses South Africa’s urgent need to equip young people with relevant skills in a context marked by high unemployment and poverty.
Another significant development is the Jannie Mouton Foundation’s R7.2bn bid to acquire all outstanding shares in Curro Holdings, South Africa’s largest private school group. The goal is to delist the company from the JSE and convert it into a non-profit entity.
Freed from shareholder pressures, Curro would operate as a public benefit organisation and could reinvesting its surplus into bursaries, new infrastructure, and expanded access to quality education, particularly in underserved areas.
There are additional examples that, taken together, show a decisive shift in the higher education landscape. These developments are reshaping access, quality, and inclusivity in education across the country. The old assumption that quality education must be pursued abroad is increasingly outdated.
Delivering on Africa’s needs
Private higher education institutions within South Africa and across the continent are demonstrating their ability to deliver qualifications that are both rigorous and internationally recognised. They are also more agile in responding to the demands of industry and the realities of African societies.
They successfully offer career-focused programmes, innovative teaching approaches, and targeted interventions for young people entering the job market.
The evidence clearly shows that the belief that only international universities provide quality education is a fallacy.
Private higher education institutions in South Africa and across the continent are demonstrating that they can match – even surpass – the standards of their global counterparts, delivering world-class qualifications while contributing to social mobility and economic development.
True academic excellence and opportunity in education are not confined to institutions abroad or to those that carry the title of “university”. They are already available, right here at home.
About the author
Professor HB Klopper is the Academic Head at Belgium Campus iTversity