The IIE School of Hospitality & Service Management

What The IIE School of Hospitality & Service Management does

The IIE School of Hospitality & Service Management is a South African private higher education institution specialising in hospitality and service management programmes. It operates as a sub-brand within Emeris, the unified higher education platform that consolidates Varsity College, IIE MSA, Vega School, and the School of Hospitality and Service Management under The Independent Institute of Education (Pty) Ltd (founded 1987). The institution delivers a vertically integrated portfolio spanning IIE Higher Certificates, Bachelor Degrees, Advanced Diplomas, Postgraduate Diplomas/Certificates, Honours Degrees, Master Degrees, Doctorates, and Short Courses, alongside an Emeris Online distance-learning channel.

The offering is built on the proprietary "Active Learning System," a participative pedagogical framework emphasising critical thinking and real-world readiness. Delivery is supported by the MyEmeris and Student Portal platforms and a mobile app for current students. The underlying architecture is a multi-campus physical model (12 campuses across Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, and Western Cape) supplemented by an online/distance learning option, enabling national reach.

The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer: prospective students engage via website enquiry, online application portals, campus open days, and student appointment bookings, with awareness generated across social media (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, X, Facebook, LinkedIn) and content marketing. Revenue is generated from tuition and academic programme fees under a recurring subscription-style model, with affordability supported by scholarships, bursaries, and a Fee Support Programme. The institution holds regulatory accreditation from the Department of Higher Education and Training under the Higher Education Act, 1997 (reg. no. 2007/HE07/002).

Name

The IIE School of Hospitality & Service Management

Legal name

The Independent Institute of Education (Pty) Ltd

Website

https://iiehsm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The IIE School of Hospitality & Service Management is a South African private higher education institution offering hospitality and service management programmes under the Emeris brand, serving prospective students across 12 physical campuses nationally and an online/distance learning channel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education — Hospitality & Service Management

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAGABAM

Hospitality, Tourism & Culinary

Education/Educational Publishing & Learning Content/Higher Education Textbooks & Courseware

Keywords

• Hospitality management education
• Service management training
• Higher education programmes
• Private higher education
• Online distance learning

Headquarters

HQ city

South Africa (Multiple Locations)

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Academic Programme Fees: Revenue generated from student tuition fees for undergraduate programmes, postgraduate programmes, higher certificates, advanced diplomas, and short courses. Programs include IIE Bachelor Degrees, IIE Higher Certificates, IIE Advanced Diplomas, and IIE Short Courses. Fee structure includes options for scholarships, bursaries, and a Fee Support Programme for eligible students.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The IIE School of Hospitality & Service Management delivers hospitality and service management higher education programmes — including Higher Certificates, Bachelor Degrees, Advanced Diplomas, Postgraduate Diplomas/Certificates, Honours, Master and Doctorate Degrees, plus industry-relevant Short Courses — using its Active Learning pedagogy across 12 Emeris campuses in South Africa and through Emeris Online distance learning. The institution is registered as a private higher education provider under South Africa's Higher Education Act, 1997, and operates alongside sister faculties (Commerce, Humanities, Law, Education, Science & Technology) under The Independent Institute of Education.

Product overview

Emeris is a unified higher education institution that operates as a platform-plus-modules architecture, combining multiple educational brands including Varsity College, IIE MSA, Vega School, and the School of Hospitality and Service Management. The institution offers a comprehensive portfolio of over 90 programmes spanning undergraduate (Higher Certificates, Bachelor Degrees, Advanced Diplomas) and postgraduate (Postgraduate Diplomas/Certificates, Honours, Masters, Doctorate Degrees) levels, as well as specialist Short Courses. Students can access programmes through traditional on-campus delivery across 12 campuses in South Africa or through Emeris Online distance learning. The Active Learning methodology underpins all programmes, emphasizing critical thinking and real-world skill development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IIE Faculty of Commerce: Faculty offering commerce education including finance, accounting and related disciplines.
• IIE Faculty of Humanities
• IIE Faculty of Law
• IIE Faculty of Education
• IIE Faculty of Science & Technology
• Vega School
• School of Hospitality and Service Management
• School of Computer Science
• School of Engineering, Science & Health
• School of Finance & Accounting
• IIE Higher Certificates
• IIE Bachelor Degrees
• IIE Advanced Diplomas
• IIE Postgraduate Diplomas / Certificates
• IIE Honours Degrees
• IIE Master Degrees
• IIE Doctorate Degrees
• IIE Short Courses
• Emeris Online
• Emeris Assist
• MyEmeris

Products and services

• IIE Higher Certificates Undergraduate Higher Certificate programmes providing foundational education in various fields of study, available to prospective students seeking entry-level higher education qualifications.
• IIE Bachelor Degrees Full undergraduate bachelor degree programmes designed to develop critical thinking and real-world skills across multiple disciplines within the Emeris portfolio (including hospitality and service management via the School of Hospitality and Service Management).
• IIE Advanced Diplomas Post-secondary advanced diploma programmes offering specialised vocational education and training for students seeking diploma-level qualifications.
• IIE Postgraduate Diplomas and Certificates Postgraduate diploma and certificate programmes providing advanced study and specialisation in specific disciplines for graduates seeking further qualification.
• IIE Honours Degrees Honours-level postgraduate programmes designed for deeper academic research and expertise development in selected disciplines.
• IIE Master Degrees Master's degree programmes offering advanced research and scholarly work in selected fields for postgraduate students.
• IIE Doctorate Degrees Doctoral programmes providing the highest level of academic research and expertise for candidates pursuing doctorates.
• IIE Short Courses Specialist, industry-relevant short courses designed for professional development and skills enhancement, available to working professionals and prospective students.
• Emeris Online (Distance Learning) Distance and online learning delivery channel enabling students to study undergraduate, postgraduate and short course programmes remotely across South Africa.
• School of Hospitality and Service Management Specialised school offering hospitality and service management higher education programmes (hotel and restaurant management, tourism, event management, food and beverage, customer service) within the Emeris institution.

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Department of Higher Education and TrainingcoreOthersEmeris is an educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education (Pty) Ltd which is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training as a private higher education institution under the Higher Education Act, 1997 (reg. no. 2007/HE07/002). This regulatory partnership establishes the institution's legitimacy and accreditation to offer higher education programmes in South Africa.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Regent Business School: Private higher education institution in South Africa offering undergraduate and postgraduate business programmes. Directly competes with Emeris's commerce, finance, and accounting schools for the same student segment.
• STADIO Holdings: JSE-listed private higher education group operating multiple South African brands across commerce, law, education, and applied sciences. Directly comparable to Emeris as a multi-brand private HE platform competing for the same tuition-paying students in South Africa.
• Boston City Campus & Business College: South African private higher education provider (now part of ADvTECH) offering vocational, diploma, and degree programmes with multiple campus locations. Comparable to Emeris in delivery model, multi-campus footprint, and programme portfolio targeting working learners.
• MANCOSA (Management College of Southern Africa): South African private higher education institution focused on management and commerce programmes delivered via distance learning. Comparable to Emeris Online in delivery model and overlapping target market of working adult and postgraduate learners.
• Milpark Education: South African private higher education provider with strong distance and online learning offerings across commerce, financial planning, and management. Comparable to Emeris in delivery model and programme mix.

Emerging players

• Hotelschool The Hague: Netherlands-based hospitality management university of applied sciences with strong industry placement. Directly comparable to the IIE School of Hospitality & Service Management in programme focus on hotel, restaurant, and event management.
• Africa Leadership University: Pan-African private university operating across multiple African countries with focus on developing African leadership talent. Comparable as a private HE provider operating on the continent but with broader geographic ambitions than Emeris.
• Les Roches Global Hospitality Education: Swiss-based international hospitality management school with campuses in Switzerland, Spain, China, and the US. Comparable to The IIE School of Hospitality & Service Management as a dedicated hospitality management HE provider and represents a global aspirational peer.
• Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne: Switzerland-headquartered premier global hospitality management school. Comparable as a globally recognised hospitality-focused higher education brand and the benchmark for hospitality curriculum design.

Broad incumbents

• ADvTECH: Africa's largest private education provider, JSE-listed, with a portfolio spanning schools, tertiary institutions, and resourcing. Overlaps with Emeris in South African private higher education and represents the most established broad incumbent competing in the same student market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Emeris_ZA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Emeris_ZA
• Facebookfacebook.com/emerisZA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-iie-school-of-hospitality-and-management-services
• Instagraminstagram.com/emeris_za
• TikToktiktok.com/@emeris_za

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries10 records

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 The IIE School of Hospitality & Service Management