The campus of a private university is under construction in Sandton and a Catholic university will open its doors in 1999. An increasing number of overseas universities are offering their courses in South Africa. In 1990, students could choose between half a dozen MBA programmes at the state universities. Today nearly twenty such programmes are available, mainly franchized from foreign institutions. Although a number of private institutions offer courses in their own right, an increasing number of courses is being offered in partnership with existing private or public institutions.
Courses are relatively expensive, and ,to a large degree focus on higher income groups.
The marketing focus falls mainly on international recognition and accreditation. There is growing concern about the quality of qualifications obtained from certain higher institutions in South Africa. Crowded classrooms, inadequate equipment and a perceived attitude of 'pass one, pass all' contribute to the problem. International tertiary institutions active in South Africa fall into two main categories. A number have high status and international recognition, while the academic status of others is rather doubtful.