Meeting the Needs of the Next Generation of Students
The world of work is changing faster than ever before, and it’s vital for tertiary education to keep pace. The tertiary education provider STADIO is cognisant of the shifting higher education landscape and aims to offer qualifications specifically designed to meet industry requirements, accommodating students' diverse lifestyles.
STADIO has therefore launched several new qualifications, ranging from higher certificates to degrees, and including both distant learning and contact learning options. All contribute towards STADIO’s belief that, through investing in human potential, it’s possible to grow minds, dreams and employment, to ultimately benefit South Africa as a nation.
STADIO School of Architecture and Spatial Design
The newest addition to the STADIO Group is the STADIO School of Architecture and Spatial Design, offering innovative and inspiring learning experiences in architecture, interior design, and spatial design. The short learning programmes are aimed at a diverse audience, including school leavers and practitioners. Two new contact learning higher certificates are now available – the Higher Certificate in Architectural Practice (endorsed by The South African Council for the Architectural Profession, SACAP) and the Higher Certificate in Spatial Design (backed by the African Institute of the Interior Design Professions, IID).
“Both programmes have a strong vocational focus, endowing students with real workplace skills,” says Marga de Vos, coordinator at STADIO School of Architecture and Spatial Design. “The Higher Certificate in Architectural Practice helps develop the necessary skills required to enter the field of architecture at the level of a draughtsperson. The Higher Certificate in Spatial Design is similar to interior design in many ways, but considers design beyond the interior, incorporating aspects of several related disciplines, including architecture, interior design, furniture design, and sustainability.”
STADIO School of Law
Previously only available via distance learning, the STADIO BA in Law is now available as a contact learning qualification at the Waterfall Campus in Midrand too.
This Bachelor of Arts in Law programme equips students to interpret and apply law and contribute to the development of the African political system, with career opportunities including roles such as legal advisor, mediator, negotiator, arbitrator, political analyst, legal compliance and monitoring officer, and various government positions.
It provides students with the knowledge base, theory, methodology and application relevant to the core areas of private law. They will gain ethical leadership skills that equip them to lead and mobilise organisations and communities towards societal transformation. The programme also serves as an alternative route for entry into the LLB (Level 8) degree.
STADIO School of Commerce
With a new BCom General degree (available both through distance or contact learning) with four areas of specialisation – Investment Management, Risk Management, Financial Management, and Economics – the STADIO School of Commerce has ensured students with an interest in business have a plethora of options available.
“BCom degrees are a good foundation for students interested in a career in the technical arena of business,” says Dr Antje Hargarter, Head of STADIO School of Commerce. “I’d suggest the BCom as an option for students interested in job roles such as economists, accountants, risk managers, financial managers, and investment managers. Our differentiated specialisations mean there is room to pursue general or specific business interests, depending on the career that students want to pursue.”
Towards improved access
STADIO’s vision is to empower the nation by widening access to higher education, and the Group believes that its expanded range of qualifications is helping to achieve progress in this regard.
The Group has also launched a digital badging programme – the first of its kind in the country. STADIO Stripes aims to help better prepare students for the world of work by recognising their skills-based achievements in addition to the traditional academic qualification transcript. Contact learning students will be able to earn a skills ‘stripe’ after meeting stringent criteria in their courses, for example, computer skills or creative problem-solving skills. Stripes can also be used across any digital platform including a LinkedIn profile, be embedded on a website or blog, shared on social media, or added to a CV to further strengthen a graduate's chance of securing a job. In time, the programme will be expanded to distance learning students too.
For more information, course requirements and curricula, visit the STADIO website: www.stadio.ac.za.
DATE: 26 October 2022 | DISCLAIMER: The content of this blog is accurate at the time of publication. STADIO reserves the right to change the content due to changes in legislation, as well as for market requirements and other reasons.