Akademia announced on 29 May 2026 that it has acquired 105 hectares of land in the Boschenmeer area of Paarl, with a view to developing a fully fledged campus in the Western Cape. This site, known as Vêrgesig, is slated for development by the real estate investment company Kanton – the same development partner currently managing the construction of the same development partner currently managing the construction of Akademia’s world-class campus in the east of Pretoria.

The purchase of this land was made possible by the exceptional goodwill and trust of the community in the Cape, for which the institution expresses its sincere and deep gratitude. This support confirms the shared belief that sustainable higher education in Afrikaans is a community endeavour.

The institution’s first full-time students in Paarl are already studying at an interim campus at 1 Breda Street, Esterville, from this year. The purchase of Vêrgesig is therefore the strategic continuation of Akademia’s presence in this region, and more specifically, Paarl. With this in mind, this future development project speaks to the institution’s long-term commitment to the Afrikaans language and cultural communities in the Western Cape.

According to Marthinus Visser, managing director of Akademia, this land purchase gives impetus to the institution’s favourable growth trajectory and marks another important chapter in the establishment of the Afrikaans university system. “With this step, Akademia confirms its intention to establish a permanent academic home in the Western Cape, in service of students, the language and cultural communities and mother-tongue education,” says Visser. “According to current planning, this campus will eventually cater for approximately 3 000 students, with growth managed responsibly in phases. The dream is to build a beautiful campus at the foot of the Wemmershoek Mountains with all the necessary facilities for a residential student campus. Provision is also being made for sufficient student residences.”

A site with exceptional potential

The Vêrgesig site features topography ideal for an integrated campus development. A waterway flowing into the Berg River provides additional support for the site’s future water needs. On clear days, the view stretches from Vêrgesig to Table Mountain and the Afrikaans Language Museum and Monument.

The project is currently in an early phase. Kanton is engaged in the prescribed urban planning processes to obtain the necessary development rights, while preliminary planning continues unabated. The timeline for future development will be determined by the successful establishment and expansion of Akademia as an institution in Paarl.

Prof. Gawie du Toit, head of the Paarl Campus, says the site offers a special opportunity for the institution. “I see in my mind’s eye how a future campus here, against the backdrop of the mountains, can and will make a meaningful contribution to the strengthening and promotion of Afrikaans as a language of science and as a medium of teaching, learning and scholarship.”

The community makes this dream of the future possible

Akademia’s establishment in the Western Cape has been characterised by dedicated community involvement from the outset. After all, it was the Western Cape community that approached the institution to establish a full-time campus in the region. And now, with the purchase of the Vêrgesig site, it is once again the community that, through remarkable contributions, is making this future prospect a reality.

Henk Schalekamp, managing director of Kanton, describes the run-up to the purchase of the land as a particularly meaningful journey. “The goodwill of the Afrikaans community in the Western Cape deeply affected everyone involved. This project bears witness from the outset to what is possible when communities build a shared future together,” says Schalekamp.

A look at what lies ahead

For those interested in getting a glimpse of Akademia’s future, the institution points to the world-class campus currently being developed in the east of Pretoria. This campus will open its doors in 2028 and will serve as an academic home where students – undergraduate and postgraduate – can study, grow and thrive in their mother tongue. This development therefore offers a clear indication of the vision that is also envisaged for Paarl.

More information about the Future Builder campaign and Akademia’s campus development in Pretoria is available on the institution’s website.