Stadio Holdings
Stadio Holdings is a South African private tertiary-education group operating STADIO Higher Education, AFDA, and Milpark.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Stadio Holdings is a South African holding company focused on private tertiary education. Its operating portfolio comprises STADIO Higher Education, AFDA, and Milpark, which together provide post-school qualifications through campus-based and distance-learning models. The group serves students pursuing higher certificates, diplomas, undergraduate degrees, honours qualifications, master's degrees, and doctoral qualifications. The business developed from Curro Holdings, a South African private-education group founded in 1998. Stadio was separated from Curro as a tertiary-education-focused operation and was incorporated independently in 2017. It subsequently became a public company through a listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on 3 October 2017. The separation gave the tertiary business a distinct strategic and capital structure while allowing Curro to remain focused primarily on schooling. Stadio's portfolio combines broad-based higher education with specialist institutions. STADIO Higher Education is the largest part of the group and offers qualifications across several disciplines, using a network of physical campuses and distance-learning channels. AFDA is associated with education in film, television, performance, and related creative industries. Milpark provides business, management, commerce, and related professional education. Together, the institutions broaden Stadio's reach across academic, vocational, creative, and professional fields. As reported for 2024, the group offered 90 programmes across 16 campuses when its three institutions were considered together. Its physical and distance-learning footprint included locations in Durbanville, Bellville, Durban, Centurion, Midrand, Cape Town, George, Windhoek, Ongwediva, Polokwane, Krugersdorp, Johannesburg, and Gqeberha. Distance learning is a particularly important part of the model: by March 2026, it represented 87% of total reported enrolment. The group reported 53,303 students at that point and announced an ambition to reach 80,000 students by 2030. Stadio has also pursued expansion through campus development and portfolio broadening. In 2017 it acquired all of South African fashion-design institution Lisof. In 2019 it stated that it intended to acquire or establish facilities for information-technology and medical training. In 2024 it began construction of a new Durbanville campus, described as a R370 million project with approximately 13,000 square metres of buildings and planned capacity for as many as 5,000 students. The campus opened in October 2025, with plans for 20 qualifications and an initial student intake in February 2026. In March 2026, Stadio also said that it would undertake construction projects to expand its Durbanville and Centurion campuses. The group is positioned as a scalable private higher-education provider serving South African and regional demand for accessible tertiary qualifications. Its combination of multiple brands, campus delivery, and distance education allows it to serve both traditional students and people seeking flexible study while working. Stadio's reported 2024 graduate total was 9,079: 5,739 from STADIO Higher Education, 2,378 from Milpark, and 962 from AFDA. The company remains active and is pursuing enrolment growth, programme expansion, and additional physical capacity.
History
Stadio Holdings originated within Curro Holdings, a South African private-education group founded in 1998. The Stadio business was developed as Curro's tertiary-education arm, distinct from the group's schools-focused activities. Curro subsequently unbundled Stadio so that the higher-education business could pursue its own institutional strategy and capital-market identity. Stadio was incorporated independently in 2017 and listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on 3 October of that year. The newly independent group used acquisitions and institutional development to broaden its educational portfolio. In 2017 it acquired a 100% shareholding in Lisof, a South African fashion-design institution. This added specialist creative and design education to the group's broader tertiary offering. Stadio later identified information technology and medical training as potential areas for expansion, announcing in 2019 that it intended either to acquire or establish facilities in those fields. The group developed around three operating institutions: STADIO Higher Education, AFDA, and Milpark. STADIO Higher Education became the largest institution in the portfolio, offering qualifications through a mixture of campuses and distance learning. AFDA added a specialist focus on film, television, performance, and related creative disciplines, while Milpark contributed business, commerce, management, and professional education. The combined model enabled Stadio to cover multiple qualification levels and academic fields without relying on a single institutional format. By 2024, the three institutions together offered 90 programmes across 16 campuses. The network included physical sites in the Western Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and other South African locations, as well as distance-learning access associated with George, Windhoek, Ongwediva, Polokwane, and Krugersdorp. AFDA operated sites in Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha, and Johannesburg, while Milpark was represented in Cape Town. This footprint supported a national and limited regional reach, with distance education forming the principal mechanism for serving students outside major campus centres. In 2024, Stadio began construction of a new Durbanville campus in the Western Cape. The project was described as a R370 million investment covering about 13,000 square metres and designed for as many as 5,000 students. The campus opened in October 2025, with plans to offer 20 qualifications and receive its first students in February 2026. The development represented a continued investment in physical capacity alongside the group's established distance-learning infrastructure. By March 2026, Stadio reported total enrolment of 53,303 students, with distance learning accounting for 87% of that number. The company announced a target of 80,000 students by 2030 and said it would undertake additional construction at its Durbanville and Centurion campuses. These plans indicate a strategy based on enrolment growth, expanded programme capacity, and a combination of online or distance delivery with selected campus investments. For the 2024 academic year, the group reported 9,079 graduates across its institutions. STADIO Higher Education accounted for 5,739 graduates, Milpark for 2,378, and AFDA for 962. The overall total included both undergraduate and postgraduate outcomes, reflecting the breadth of the group's qualification portfolio. Stadio remains an active South African listed tertiary-education holding company.
- 2026
2030 enrolment target announced
[1]Stadio announced a goal of reaching 80,000 students by 2030 and further campus construction at Durbanville and Centurion.
- 2025
New Durbanville campus opens
[1]The new Durbanville campus opened in October, with plans for 20 qualifications and an initial student intake in February 2026.
- 2024
Durbanville campus construction begins
[1]The group began work on a new Durbanville campus in a reported R370 million development.
- 2019
Expansion plans for IT and medical training
[1]Stadio announced plans to acquire or launch information-technology and medical training facilities in South Africa.
- 2017
Independent incorporation and JSE listing
[1]Stadio was incorporated in its own right and listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on 3 October 2017.
- 2017
Acquisition of Lisof
[1]Stadio acquired a 100% shareholding in South African fashion-design institution Lisof.
- 2013
Stadio is unbundled from Curro
[1]Curro separated Stadio to enable the business to concentrate on tertiary education.
- 1998
Curro Holdings is founded
[1]Curro Holdings, the private-education group from which Stadio developed, was founded in South Africa.
Products and positioning
A South African private tertiary-education group combining accessible higher education, specialist academic brands, campus delivery, and large-scale distance learning.
Private higher education
STADIO Higher Education
The largest institution in the Stadio portfolio, STADIO Higher Education provides higher certificates, diplomas, degrees, and postgraduate qualifications through campus-based and distance-learning formats. Its programmes span multiple academic and professional areas and form the core of the group's scalable tertiary-education model.
Creative-arts higher education
AFDA
AFDA is Stadio's specialist creative-education institution, with campuses in Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha, and Johannesburg. It focuses on fields associated with film, television, performance, and related creative industries.
Business and professional education
Milpark
Milpark contributes business, commerce, management, and related professional qualifications to the Stadio portfolio. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate education and operated a Cape Town campus according to the referenced material.
Fashion design education
Lisof
Lisof is a South African fashion-design institution acquired wholly by Stadio in 2017. The acquisition expanded the group's specialist education portfolio into fashion and design.
Brand decisions
2026
Target 80,000 students by 2030StrategyBackground
Stadio reported 53,303 students in March 2026, with distance learning accounting for 87% of enrolment.
Action taken
The group announced an enrolment target of 80,000 students by 2030 and plans to expand its Durbanville and Centurion campuses.
Aftermath
The announcement established enrolment growth and campus construction as central elements of the group's forward strategy.
2024
Develop a new Durbanville campusStrategyBackground
Stadio sought additional physical capacity alongside its large distance-learning operation.
Action taken
The group began construction of a Durbanville campus planned at approximately 13,000 square metres and designed for up to 5,000 students.
Aftermath
The campus opened in October 2025 and was planned to begin receiving students in February 2026.
Reported investment. R370 million (2024 campus construction announcement)
2019
Explore IT and medical trainingStrategyBackground
Stadio identified information technology and medical training as possible areas for portfolio expansion.
Action taken
The company announced that it intended to acquire or establish facilities in those fields in South Africa.
Aftermath
The referenced material does not confirm the completion of these specific initiatives.
2017
Acquire LisofM&ABackground
Stadio sought to broaden its tertiary-education portfolio with specialist institutions.
Action taken
The company acquired 100% of South African fashion-design institution Lisof.
Aftermath
Lisof became part of Stadio's collection of education institutions.
2017
List on the Johannesburg Stock ExchangeOtherBackground
Following its separation from Curro, Stadio required an independent public-market structure.
Action taken
Stadio listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on 3 October 2017.
Aftermath
The group became a separately listed South African tertiary-education company.
2013
Separate the tertiary-education business from CurroStrategyBackground
Stadio was separated from Curro so that the business could focus on tertiary education.
Action taken
The Stadio operation was unbundled and subsequently developed as an independently incorporated education group.
Aftermath
The separation led to Stadio's independent corporate identity and eventual JSE listing.
Sources1 sources
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