As Africa’s leading Oscar-winning tertiary institution, it’s no surprise AFDA is known as the “No.1 School for the Creative Economy”.
It offers 11 fully accredited and internationally recognised programmes supporting 24 disciplines. These include higher certificates, undergraduate degrees, and postgraduate degrees in film, TV and entertainment production, live performance, creative writing, radio and podcasting, and business innovation.
AFDA prides itself not only on empowering students to find their niche and excel within it, but on equipping them with the practical skills, industry insight and entrepreneurial mindset essential to thrive in the rapidly evolving global creative sector.
Future-focused education for a changing world
In an era where creative industries are expanding at a rapid pace, AFDA’s programmes are intentionally designed to be future-oriented, aligning education with real-world industry needs.
The curriculum focuses on outcomes-based, project-led learning that mirrors today’s working environment, developing technical expertise and critical competencies like creative problem-solving, innovation, collaboration and digital fluency.
These skills are indispensable in the 21st-century creative economy — the very environment graduates will enter and help shape, says AFDA CEO Diaan Lawrenson.
“Our focus remains on graduating industry-ready, future-focused students who contribute meaningfully to nation-building. We work hand in hand with industry and our alumni to stay at the forefront of what our graduates need in order to succeed.”
Industry relevance through real experience
“One of AFDA’s founding pillars is its connection to the creative economy,” says Lawrenson.
“Our entire learning faculty consists of industry professionals who are actively encouraged to maintain close ties with the creative sector through ongoing professional practice. This ensures that our teaching remains relevant, current, and grounded in reality.”
Our entire learning faculty consists of industry professionals ... This ensures that our teaching remains relevant, current, and grounded in reality
— Diaan Lawrenson, AFDA CEO
The institution also engages a wide range of industry professionals through masterclasses, teaching, project supervision, and examination panels. Depending on the programme and year level, it offers internships providing direct pathways into the creative sector.
AFDA’s membership in CILECT — the International Association of Film and Television Schools — further strengthens this industry link, offering students global opportunities and exposure by connecting them with institutions like the University of California, Los Angeles; La Fémis; and Columbia University.
Alumni making their mark globally
AFDA’s impact is tangible: its alumni are making significant contributions across the global creative landscape.
Graduates have played key roles in over 350 feature films and more than 300 TV and streaming productions, spanning local favourites and internationally acclaimed works.
Some examples include:
- Oscar-winning documentary My Octopus Teacher
- Oscar-nominated short film The Last Ranger
- Hollywood blockbuster films Black Panther, Spider Man and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- South African feature films Five Fingers for Marseilles, Noem My Skollie and Indemnity
- Netflix series Blood & Water and Bad Influencer
- SA streaming series Go, Shaka Ilembe and Blood Psalms
- SA TV series and soapies Suidooster, Skeem Saam, Generations, Uzalo, Isidingo, 7de Laan, Binnelanders and The River
The institution’s legacy of excellence is highlighted by its unique distinction as the only African film school to win a Student Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Foreign Student Film (Elalini, 2006), and continued recognition at major international competitions.
Empowering career readiness
AFDA’s outcomes-based learning model encourages students to graduate with professional experience, a strong creative network, and a portfolio of real work. These are all powerful assets in the competitive creative landscape.
Over 90% of AFDA’s honours alumni are employed in their chosen fields, demonstrating the strength of its career-preparation model.
“AFDA continually invests in future-ready infrastructure and campuses, including new facilities designed to immerse students in industry-standard environments that reflect evolving technological and creative trends,” says Lawrenson.
Choosing AFDA means choosing a pathway that is future-focused, contextually relevant, and deeply connected to the creative industry.
Its blend of accredited academic rigour, experiential learning, industry partnerships, and global recognition empowers graduates to shape and lead the creative economy, locally and internationally.
If you’re drawn to storytelling, performance, screen production, business innovation or writing, AFDA offers a robust platform to become career-ready.
Applications and enrolment for 2026 are still open. Apply now and secure your spot at the AFDA, the “No.1 School for the Creative Economy”.
This article was sponsored by AFDA.
