Honoris United Universities, Africa’s first pan-African network of private higher education institutions, has welcomed Red & Yellow Creative School of Business into its network in South Africa, serving to enhance its provision of education in the advertising, marketing and design professions, with added focus on the digital skills and creative thinking required to thrive and to be competitive in the 21st Century world of work
The announcement is particularly welcomed as Honoris’ Education for Impact mission continues to expand in the midst of the global challenges of COVID-19. As a member institution of Honoris, Red & Yellow Creative School of Business will complement Honoris’ employability agenda, a continent-wide strategy focusing on entrepreneurial and workplace skills and credentials.
The addition of Red & Yellow further reaffirms Honoris’ position as the preeminent pan-African private higher education network focused on educating the next generation of African leaders and entrepreneurs with industry-ready 21st Century skills. With expertise in Creative and Design Thinking, Creative Production, Marketing, Advertising and Communications, Management and Leadership – as well as Human Skills and Behavioural Science – Red & Yellow has trained business leaders who have achieved remarkable career success, across the continent and internationally such as Jason Harrison and Faheem Chaudry of M&C Saatchi and Abel; Veli Ngubane, Avatar; Dorcas Onyango, Coca Cola; and Steph van Niekerk of Grey JHB, ranked as SA’s No. 1 Creative Director and No. 1 Copywriter in 2019. A full list of Red & Yellow alumni can be found here.
This project marks another milestone – and a new vertical – for Honoris in South Africa. Following the recent addition of Nile University of Nigeria as Honoris’ entry into West Africa, Red & Yellow represents the 12th institution in the Honoris network, which now encompasses over 45,000 students across the continent. Established in 1994, Red & Yellow is a fully accredited private higher education institution offering students a collaborative pedagogy that delivers the creative skills needed to thrive in a fast-paced digital world – cognitive skills such as curiosity, problem-solving, intellectual flexibility and critical thinking – recognized critical competencies in growing successful businesses. For over 25 years, Red & Yellow has been an integral part of South Africa’s positioning as a leading market for global creativity and media, with Cape Town often referred to as the start-up capital hub of Africa.
Commenting, CEO of Honoris United Universities, Luis Lopez, said, “I am pleased to welcome Red & Yellow Creative School of Business and its depth of creative industry expertise into the Honoris network. As we deploy and accelerate our skilling, digital and employability agendas, its leadership in critical creative and digital competencies in marketing, advertising, and communications will significantly add to our future-ready learning experiences across the continent in our member institutions. Red & Yellow’s pedagogy encourages the ability to think differently, to challenge accepted wisdoms and to apply creative problem solving to today’s complex work environment – a timely and relevant academic model for the most in demand skills of today and tomorrow.”
The Red & Yellow Creative School of Business strengthens South Africa’s position as a beacon market in the Honoris network, alongside other leading institutions in the country – both MANCOSA and REGENT Business School are trusted and reputed institutions in private distance learning. Since joining the Honoris network in 2017 both MANCOSA and REGENT have expanded geographically across Southern Africa and in their academic programs, including the development of new professional paths such as the MANCOSA School of Education and a fully online offer, experienced in 21st Century learning environments such as Regent’s iLeadLabs (Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban) and MANCOSA’s iTeachLab (Durban).
Rob Stokes, Chairman of The Knowledge Trust, former Chairman of Red & Yellow and a recognised global figure in the creative education sector having previously founded one of Africa’s largest digital agencies, added: “Joining the Honoris family gives Red & Yellow an incredible opportunity to take the school’s special blend of magic to the world. I am so proud of the work we have done with the school over the past few years. It is the school’s academic excellence combined with impactful traditions that will ensure Red & Yellow’s powerful legacy grows leaps and bounds into the future.”
Red & Yellow students will benefit from Honoris’ regional and international network of partners, providing opportunities for collaborative work in the creative business space and potential future expansion of the school itself outside of South Africa.
With a footprint that extends from Casablanca to Cape Town and from Abuja to Tunis to Mauritius, the Honoris network now consists of 12 institutions in 10 countries and 33 cities, amassing significant expertise in contact, distance, and online education. Its institutions are well established authorities within the disciplines of Medical & Health Sciences, Engineering, IT, Business, Law, Architecture, Creative Arts & Design, Media, Political Science and Education.
