About Walter Sisulu
Get in touch
Email Address:
Contact Numbers:
Mthatha: 047 502 2100
Butterworth: 047 401 6000
East London: 043 702 9200
Potsdam: 043 708 5200
Chiselhurst: 043 709 4000
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
iYunivesithi Walter Sisulu serves as a vital economic engine, major employer, and skill development anchor in the Eastern Cape. By aligning degree offerings with scarce labor market demands, expanding Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) stipends, supporting graduate entrepreneurship, and maintaining equitable employment practices, Walter Sisulu actively addresses youth unemployment and drives regional economic transformation
Research, Livelihood Studies & Regional Economic Impact
- Regional Economic Engine. As a comprehensive university operating across four campuses and 13 delivery sites, iYunivesithi Walter Sisulu makes substantial direct contributions to the Eastern Cape economy through local staff employment, procurement of goods and services, and infrastructure investment.
- Business Innovation and Incubation Research. Walter Sisulu co-hosted the Inaugural International BIWA (Business Innovation Web Association) Conference alongside Nelson Mandela University and CPUT. The conference focused on business innovation, incubator frameworks, and advancing entrepreneurial research cooperation.
- Grow-Your-Own-Timber (GYOT) & Academic Advancement. The GYOT initiative and the Academic Postgraduate Advancement Programme (APGAP) provide financial support and structured mentorship to postgraduate students and staff, fostering academic careers and securing long-term employment within higher education.
Student Work Placements & Graduate Employability
- Landmark Provincial Government WIL Agreement. Walter Sisulu finalised a landmark agreement with the Office of the Premier (Eastern Cape) ensuring that all provincial government infrastructure and development projects incorporate Walter Sisulu Work - Integrated Learning (WIL) students for practical placement.
- LGSETA Work-Integrated Learning Project. Supported 125 students across Public Management, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Analytical Chemistry through a R7.675 million budget, delivering R4,000 monthly stipends and structured 12-month experiential placements.
- Scarce-Skills AI Partnership with NTG Solutions. Read the story. Partnered with NTG Solutions to deliver an NQF Level 5 scarce-skills program in Artificial Intelligence and data management for 150 unemployed youth (82% Walter Sisulu alumni, 60% women). Beneficiaries receive a R3,000 monthly stipend, WIL placement, and employment placement commitments in government and industry.
- Graduate Employability Programme Launch. Officially launched its strategic Graduate Employability Programme at Buffalo Park Drive, hosting government and private-sector stakeholders to establish collaborative placement frameworks and align university output with industry needs.
- Wholesale & Retail Sector WIL Projects. Benefited 45 participants (25 WIL students and 20 graduates), equipping them with practical industry experience and sector-specific skills to enhance employability.
- merSETA Multi-Year Capacity Partnership. Read the story. Concluded a three-year, R39 million partnership with merSETA encompassing 22 strategic projects that expanded practical technical training and institutional capacity.
Enterprise Development: Student & Alumni Entrepreneurship
- Alumni Entrepreneurship Competition for Unemployed Graduates. Read the story. The Alumni Relations Office raised R25,000 at an alumni reunion to launch an entrepreneurship competition for unemployed graduates, offering seed funding (1st Prize: R12,000; 2nd Prize: R8,000; 3rd Prize: R5,000) and mentorship to drive self-employment a nd job creation.
- NEMISA & eSkills CoLab Rural Cellphone Repair Enterprise. Read the story. Coordinated a four-week cellphone repair and digital business program in Lusikisiki for 30 rural youth and graduates. Blends web development training, technical hardware repair, and National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) funding application modules.
- Student Entrepreneurship Development Framework. Implemented campus-wide entrepreneurship programs designed to transition students from job seekers into job creators, bridging academic theory with practical enterprise development.
- WSU101 (Intshayelelo) Life Skills & Financial Literacy. Read the story. Developed the foundational WSU101 course for first-year students, embedding financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and digital competencies to prepare graduates for the modern labour market
This account is drawn from the iYunivesithi Walter Sisulu Sustainability Impact Progress Report, prepared against the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings methodology.
The Sustainable Development Goals icons are United Nations marks, used here for information. The content of this publication has not been approved by the United Nations and does not reflect the views of the United Nations or its officials or Member States. Read the Sustainable Development Goals.
