What are the opening hours?

Monday 08:00 - 17:00 Tuesday 08:00 - 17:00 Wednesday 08:00 - 17:00 Thursday 08:00 - 17:00 Friday 08:00 - 17:00

AIE, The Academic Institute of Excellence

Home
South Africa
Midrand
AIE, The Academic Institute of Excellence

Call Directions Website Contact the university

Where do you belong? YOU ARE ONE OF US.
80+ Qualifications | 9 Future-Ready Schools
2027 Applications Open

A leader in private tertiary education, we are the Academic Institute of Excellence. From engineering, architecture, design, music, and IT, to business, arts, draughting, artisanship, and beauty - our offering reflects the world our students are entering, and the world they’re shaping. We Are One AIE: We welcome to the AIE family Greenside Design Center, Emendy Multimedia Institute, Concept Interactive, and Learn3D, unified under one name: The Academic Institute of Excellence! 🎓

28/10/2026

Turning architectural vision into technical excellence.

As part of AIE’s Design in Practice: Beyond the Studio Architecture Lecture Series, we had the opportunity to hear from Catharine Atkins of CO-ARC International Architects and gain valuable insight into the technical expertise behind successful architectural projects.

Catharine graduated from Technikon Witwatersrand with a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Technology. After gaining experience at Raid Concepts and Lovell Pugh and Partners, she joined Meyer Pienaar Architects in 1999.

Her expertise in technical detailing, production management and interdisciplinary coordination has made her a key contributor to several large-scale architectural projects.

Her contribution highlighted the importance of precision, technical knowledge and collaboration in transforming architectural concepts into built realities.

For our Architecture students, industry talks like these bridge the gap between academic learning and professional practice, offering valuable perspectives on the skills and expertise needed to succeed in the built environment.

Thank you, Catharine, for sharing your experience and insights with our AIE community.

28/10/2026

Where architecture, identity and storytelling intersect.

We’re currently hearing from Nhlakanipho “Nipho” Mashinini, lecturer at AIE, as part of our Design in Practice: Beyond the Studio Architecture Industry Talk.

A SAFTA award-winning filmmaker, architect, educator and creative entrepreneur, Nipho brings an interdisciplinary perspective to the way we understand space, identity, culture and storytelling.

His work challenges us to look beyond the physical structures we design and consider the stories they tell, the identities they represent and the cultural experiences they shape.

For our Architecture students, this is an opportunity to explore how different creative disciplines can inform architectural practice and open up new ways of thinking about the built environment.

At AIE, learning goes beyond the studio, connecting students with diverse perspectives and real-world industry experience.

28/10/2026

Museums Catalysing Change

We’re excited to have Gegê Leme Joseph speaking at AIE’s Design in Practice: Beyond the Studio Architecture Industry Talk.

An architect, urbanist and museologist with over 20 years of experience, Gegê specialises in developing museums, memorials and heritage projects that focus on memory, human rights and social participation.

Through her talk, “Museums Catalysing Change,” she is exploring how architecture and heritage spaces can preserve important stories, encourage social participation and contribute to meaningful change.

Our Architecture students have the opportunity to gain valuable industry insights and discover how architecture can extend beyond buildings to influence people, communities and society.

28/10/2026

Where architecture meets experience, creativity takes shape.
What happens when architecture goes beyond buildings to create meaningful experiences?

At AIE’s Design in Practice: Beyond the Studio Architecture Lecture Series, Anjé Serfontein, lecturer at AIE, brought a multidisciplinary perspective shaped by architecture, visual art, education and experiential design.

Alongside her work in education, Anjé has contributed to international hospitality projects in remote locations across Turkey, India and Australia through her work with Luxury Frontiers, including projects at UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as Cappadocia and the Great Barrier Reef.

Her experience highlights how architecture can respond to unique environments, cultural contexts and the experiences of the people who inhabit and interact with these spaces.

For our Architecture students, insights from professionals who bring both industry experience and academic knowledge into the classroom offer valuable opportunities to explore architectural practice beyond traditional boundaries.

Because great design doesn’t just shape spaces. It shapes how we experience them.

28/10/2026

You saw classrooms. We see lab, lab, labs!

Our Engineering spaces are being transformed, and we’re making room for something exciting!

The deconstruction is making way for upgraded Engineering labs dedicated to Electronics, Mechanics & Dynamics, Fluid & Thermodynamics, and Mechatronics & Siemens.

These purpose-built spaces will give our future engineers more opportunities to explore, experiment and put theory into practice.

The countdown to a new era of hands-on learning is on.

28/10/2026

Would you rather?

27/10/2026

Reflections on Practice: Architecture, Heritage and Identity.

Architecture tells a story. It reflects the people, places and histories that shape our built environment.

At AIE’s Design in Practice: Beyond the Studio Architecture Lecture Series, Yasmin Mayat and Brendan Hart of Mayat Hart Architects & Heritage Consultants share their perspectives on Reflections on Practice.

Co-founded in 2012, their practice brings together architecture, research, conservation and advocacy, with a focus on responding to South Africa’s rich and complex architectural and social history.

Our Architecture students have the opportunity to engage with these industry perspectives, ask thoughtful questions and explore how architecture can preserve heritage while responding to the needs of the present.

Because designing for the future also means understanding the stories that came before us.

27/10/2026

Designing spaces. Shaping experiences.

From residential homes and commercial developments to hospitality and student housing, architecture plays a vital role in how we live, work and connect.

At AIE’s Design in Practice: Beyond the Studio Architecture Lecture Series, Ruan Marsh and Kevin Coetzee from Monograph Architects share insights from their work across South Africa and Africa.

Their approach highlights the importance of creating practical, innovative designs that respond to their surroundings and the needs of the people who use them.

Our Architecture students had the opportunity to engage with industry professionals, ask interesting questions and explore the thinking behind real-world architectural projects.

Because great architecture is about more than how a space looks. It’s about how it works for the people who experience it.

27/10/2026

Building for our communities. Designing for our future.

What does it mean to be a young person shaping the built environment in our communities today?

At AIE’s Design in Practice: Beyond the Studio Architecture Lecture Series, Nqobile Lombo from Umhlaba Architects explores “What’s Happening on the Ground: Building as a Young Person in Our Community.”

The session sparked interesting conversations, with our Architecture students asking thoughtful questions and engaging with the realities of building within our communities.

These discussions encourage our future architects to think critically, challenge perspectives and consider how they can contribute to shaping spaces that respond to the needs of the people who live in them.

Because architecture goes beyond drawings and structures. It’s about understanding people, addressing real-world challenges and creating spaces that make a difference.

27/10/2026

From student to candidate: Understanding your pathway to registration.

What does the journey from architecture student to registered professional look like?

At AIE’s Design in Practice: Beyond the Studio Architecture Lecture Series, Bessie Senamile Hlophe, Senior Manager of the Legal and Compliance Unit at the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP), shares insights into the Pathway to Registration: From Student to Candidate.

Her session highlights the importance of understanding the professional registration journey and the steps aspiring architectural professionals need to take as they transition from their studies into the industry.

Because becoming an architect is about more than designing spaces. It’s about building the knowledge, experience and professional foundation for your future.

Address

1 Oracle Cl, Halfway Gardens
Midrand
1686

Opening Hours

Monday	08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday	08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday	08:00 - 17:00
Thursday	08:00 - 17:00
Friday	08:00 - 17:00

Telephone

+27112624555

Website

http://www.aie.ac/, https://aie.ac/upcomingOpenDays, https://www.digsconnect.com/, https://aie.ac/careers

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when AIE, The Academic Institute of Excellence posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.