With nearly three decades in academia, Dr Stan du Plessis has been appointed as the new principal and chief executive officer of Stadio Higher Education, effective 1 August 2025.
Dr Stan du Plessis, new principal and chief executive officer of Stadio Higher Education
He previously served as chief operating officer and Professor of Economics at Stellenbosch University, is a former president of the Economic Society of South Africa, and a former member of the advisory “Harvard group” of economists to the South African government.
Du Plessis is excited about moving into private higher education, which he believes has a critical role to play in addressing the challenges of South Africa’s tertiary education sector.
“The biggest unfilled need in the South African higher education system is the ability to deliver quality at scale to a much larger section of our population,” he says. “This is what Stadio has chosen as its agenda – and it’s what I have long believed is the most important challenge in our sector.”
Traditional universities worldwide tend to remain relatively small, he explains, with even iconic names like Harvard, Oxford and Cambridge enrolling no more than 25,000 students. “If we simply follow the traditional model, we won’t succeed in our objective. We have to do things differently.”
Success measured beyond graduation
Central to Du Plessis’s vision is the alignment of academic programmes with the job market. He believes an institution's success should be measured not by the number of graduates, but by how many of those graduates find work. “We want our students to get access, to succeed in their studies, and then to get a good job. That changes the trajectory of whole families,” he says.
“We won’t just ask if students are employed; we’ll ask if they’re employed in the fields we’ve prepared them for. That feedback must shape our programmes.”
Du Plessis believes the role of a modern university is not just to prepare students for their first career, but to support them throughout their working lives.
“We need to think horizontally – reaching more South Africans – and vertically, expanding our role in the lives of each student,” he says. “That means being there five, 10 or 15 years later, when people need reskilling or leadership preparation. Sometimes it won’t be a degree, but a shorter programme or specialist skill. Our relationship with students must be lifelong.”
Growth and recognition
Over the next five years, Du Plessis expects Stadio to achieve a “step change” in size and impact. The institution is targeting 80,000 students by the end of the decade, supported by a blend of distance and contact learning. Investments in campuses – including a new comprehensive campus in Durbanville – will improve student experience for both contact and distance learners.
He also has his eye on Stadio’s next big milestone: recognition as a fully-fledged university. “That is ultimately a regulatory decision, but our responsibility is to deliver the quality, efficiency and student success that will make that recognition possible.”
Enthusiasm for education
Known for his accessible leadership style, Du Plessis plans to be visible on campuses and in regular contact with staff and students. Above all, he hopes to be experienced as a true enthusiast for higher education.
“As leaders in the academic environment, we must do more than just impart knowledge – we must inspire. We have the rare opportunity to change the lives of students and their families. That’s something worth getting excited about,” he concludes.
