Location

The Institute's 15 hectare campus is located in the scenic village of Twee Riviere (pop. 380), Langkloof, within the Southern Cape coastal region of South Africa's Eastern Cape Province. Twee Riviere, which recently celebrated its 250th year, is one of several communities dotted along the length of this 150km long, fruit-growing valley. Twee Riviere's location within this secluded, rural setting, places it halfway between Port Elizabeth and George – a distance of approximately 180km in either direction.

At an elevation of 530m, and located only 20km inland from the Indian Ocean coastline (60km by road), Twee Riviere enjoys a Mediterranean climate with a predominantly winter rainfall (June – August) and sunny, hot and dry summers (December – February).

Twee Riviere is located on Route 62, at GPS co-ordinates: S 33° 50'25.65" E 23° 53'40.92". These co-ordinates mark the grounds cafeteria and campus' reception point, The Belfry Kitchen.

History

The founding of Twee Riviere is traced to 14 February 1765, when the loan farm of that name was registered by the V.O.C. in the name of one Jacobus Scheepers. During the course of the 1800's, this sprawling and water-rich tract of land was passed into prominent ownership of the Olivier and Schreiber families, among others.

The Institute's present-day campus encompasses land previously owned by German immigrant “Meester” Dennis Samson Schreiber, who – in addition to agricultural and business exploits – had variously served the town as schoolmaster, postmaster and local notary between the years 1869 and 1921.

Over the course of the most recent decades, the variously adjoining land deeds were incrementally acquired by the Institute's present-day founder and re-consolidated to form the campus grounds. Today, the original, mid-17th century buildings which remain do duty alongside newer, faculty structures and continue in daily use. The campus cafeteria, The Belfry Kitchen, (the former dealership of the selfsame Meester Schreiber) is an example of one such building, dating from the 1850's.

Life on Campus...

The Institute's postgraduate programme admits an intake limited to twelve postgraduate students annually. For this highly selected student cohort, the Institute's attractively landscaped Twee Riviere campus constitutes a milieu and study environment naturally secluded to the purposes of research and learning. Styled as a residential campus, the general living environment permits students to enjoy an immersive spell of learning and research, encouraging of dedication and high attainment, all within highly conducive surroundings. This context will appeal to the serious student of conservation...

Having said that, the serious student also needs good coffee, not so?

Good coffee, and even better pastries. Thanks to spirited, on-campus cultivation and production, The Belfry Kitchen imbues scholarly life with reassuring comforts!

Guest cottages...

The campus grounds offer spacious, two- and three bedroomed cottages, in addition to a seven bedroom manor house (suited to larger groups and longer stays).

Though most guests visit the grounds with the campus cafeteria in mind, the accommodations do also permit self-catering.

Click here for rates and bookings, or to view the policies for visitors to the grounds.

For additional images of the setting and cottages, go to Gallery here...

Campus facilities

Situated within the village of Twee Riviere, the Institute's campus facilities comprise a total of 21 buildings and structures, set within a rural campus grounds, 150 000m² in extent. The built amenities serve - variously - the requirements for faculty facilities, campus services, staff and student accommodations and general, supporting infrastructure. The campus's outermost grounds and food gardens are productively engaged in food cultivation, harvested for preparation and consumption on the grounds. This lends an inspiring degree of self-provisioning to the campus.

A 30 000m², ancillary section of the campus grounds lies 700m south-east of the main campus, comprising additional accommodations at a comfortable walking distance.

Click to enlarge campus diagram.

Click to see satellite view.