Open Window

What Open Window does

Open Window (legally The Open Window (Pty) Ltd) is a South African private higher education institution founded in 1993, operating across three campuses in Centurion (Gauteng headquarters), Johannesburg/Randburg, and Stellenbosch (Western Cape). It delivers accredited Postgraduate, Degree, and Higher Certificate qualifications across four schools: Visual Communication, Film Arts, Animation Arts, and Creative Technologies, with the latter covering UX Design, Interactive Development, and Industrial Product Design.

The institution operates a platform-plus-programs model anchored by specialized production facilities including a MakerSpace with Risograph printing, a Morph Stop Motion studio, VR headsets, XPPen drawing tablets, a Rokoko motion capture suit, dedicated Drawing Labs, the NOW Gallery exhibition space, and an AV Auditorium. A digital layer — comprising a student portal, a MakerSpace Dashboard, and an online admissions and enquiry process — supports in-person delivery. Curriculum is project-based and portfolio-oriented, with students exposed to industry-facing events including an annual Career Expo and Creative Conversations sessions featuring partners such as Ogilvy Social.lab.

The business model is tuition-based and recurring, with pricing not publicly disclosed and prospective students directed through an admissions enquiry process that includes Recognition of Prior Learning pathways. The institution holds DHET registration (2000/HE07/016), CHE accreditation, SAQA registration under the Higher Education Act 1997, and MICTSETA accreditation (ACC/2016/07/0012). No revenue, headcount, or funding data is publicly available; the entity is privately held with no disclosed parent company or external investment.

Name

Open Window

Legal name

The Open Window (Pty) Ltd

Website

https://openwindow.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Open Window is a South African private higher education institution operating three campuses and offering accredited Higher Certificate, Degree, and Postgraduate programs in Visual Communication, Film Arts, Animation Arts, and Creative Technologies for creative arts students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Gauteng

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Revenue generated from student tuition for Higher Certificates, Degrees, and Postgraduate qualifications across Visual Communication, Creative Technologies, Animation Arts, and Film Arts disciplines.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Open Window is a private higher education institution offering accredited Higher Certificate, Degree, and Postgraduate qualifications across four creative disciplines: Visual Communication (Photography, Illustration, Communication Design), Film Arts (Production Design, Film & Television, Sound Design, Screen Acting, Screenwriting), Animation Arts (3D Animation, Motion Design, Game Design), and Creative Technologies (UX Design, Interactive Development, Industrial Product Design). Education is delivered in person across three South African campuses with access to professional-grade facilities including a MakerSpace, stop-motion studio, VR equipment, motion capture, and an exhibition gallery.

Product overview

Open Window is a private higher education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of creative arts and technologies programs. The institution operates a platform-plus-programs model with degree programs (Visual Communication, Film Arts, Animation Arts, Creative Technologies), higher certificate programs for foundational skills, postgraduate qualifications for advanced study, and physical facilities including a MakerSpace for hands-on fabrication and a NOW Gallery for exhibitions. The programs span disciplines including photography, illustration, communication design, 3D animation, game design, motion design, film production, sound design, screen acting, screenwriting, user experience design, interactive development, and industrial product design.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Visual Communication Design Degree Undergraduate degree program covering Communication Design, Illustration, and Photography disciplines for students seeking comprehensive creative arts education.
• Film Arts Degree Audio-visual communication degree equipping students with skills to work in time-based media environments across production, sound, and screen disciplines.
• Animation Arts Degree Film Arts degree with three major subject tracks in 3D Animation, Game Design, and Motion Design for students interested in animation and game creation.
• Creative Technologies Degree Degree program in Interactive Development, User Experience Design, and Industrial Product Design for students pursuing technology-driven creative careers.
• Higher Certificate in 3D Animation: Modelling & Design Foundational vocational certificate program in 3D animation modeling and design for entry into the creative industry or progression to degree study.
• Higher Certificate in Graphic Design Foundational vocational certificate program in graphic design principles and practices for prospective creative industry entrants.
• Higher Certificate in Photography and Videography Foundational vocational certificate program in photography and videography for students building practical visual media skills.
• Higher Certificate in User Interface Design Foundational vocational certificate program in user interface design principles for students entering the digital design industry.
• Higher Certificate in Digital Film Production Foundational vocational certificate program in digital film production for students pursuing film industry entry.
• Bachelor of Arts Honours in Visual Communication Postgraduate honours-level program in visual communication for graduates seeking advanced study and research specialization.
• Postgraduate Diploma in Creative Practice Advanced postgraduate diploma program in creative practice for graduates seeking professional specialization and advanced creative research.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and moderate.

• Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET)coreOthersOfficial regulatory body that grants and maintains the institution's status as a registered Private Higher Education Institution in South Africa.
• Council on Higher Education (CHE)coreOthersQuality assurance body that accredits the institution's higher education programs and qualifications.
• South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)coreOthersNational qualifications authority that registers the institution's qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).
• MICTSETAcoreOthersMedia, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority providing skills development accreditation. Accreditation Number: ACC/2016/07/0012.
• Ogilvy Social.labminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner participating in Creative Conversations events, providing students with insights into agency life and creative industry careers.
• Industry Partners (Career Expo)moderateGTM or Marketing PartnerVarious industry partners participate in the annual Career Expo, providing expert panels, mentorship, and exhibition opportunities for students.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Red & Yellow Creative School of Business: South African private institution offering degrees and short courses in marketing, advertising, and design. Comparable private, accredited creative education model with industry-aligned curriculum.
• Vega School: Brand of the Independent Institute of Education focused on brand communication, design, and creative business degrees. Closely comparable private higher-ed model targeting creative careers in South Africa.
• AFDA: South African private higher education institution offering degrees in film, television, animation, and performing arts across multiple campuses. Directly comparable as a private, accredited creative-arts college competing for the same South African student pool.
• CityVarsity: Private higher education institution in Cape Town offering diplomas and degrees in film, animation, design, and performing arts. Direct comparable on geography and creative-arts portfolio.
• SAE Institute: Global private creative-media college with a South African campus focused on audio, film, animation, and game development. Comparable curriculum breadth and accreditation-based higher-ed model.

Broad incumbents

• Rhode Island School of Design (RISD): Premier US art and design college offering degrees across visual communication, film, animation, and industrial design. Comparable multi-discipline creative-arts curriculum at established higher-ed scale.
• Emily Carr University of Art + Design: Canadian public university specializing in design, media arts, animation, and interactive development. Comparable program mix spanning visual communication, animation, and creative technologies.
• Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD): Large US-based accredited university specializing in creative arts, design, animation, and film. International benchmark for a multi-discipline creative higher-ed institution with similar program architecture.
• London Film School: International film school offering postgraduate programs in filmmaking, screenwriting, and sound design. Comparable postgraduate film-arts positioning to Open Window's BA Honours/PG Diploma stack.
• Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture: Nordic university school combining design, film, animation, and creative technologies at degree and postgraduate level. Comparable multidisciplinary creative-tech higher-ed architecture.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Open Window