Walter Sisulu University WSU College Street Campus

Walter Sisulu University WSU College Street Campus

Walter Sisulu University (WSU) was established on 1 July, 2005 in terms of the Higher Education Act No. 101 of 1997, as amended.

The new university was named in honour of an icon of the South African liberation struggle, the late Walter Max Ulyate Sisulu who was a close comrade of Nelson Mandela.

WSU’s turnaround

In October 2011, WSU was placed under administration at the request of the Council, Management and WSU stakeholders.

This period of Administration ended on 30 April 2014. During the past two and a half years, many new systems and processes have been implemented to stabilise the university and re-position the institution on a new trajectory.

WSU is undergoing a significant turnaround strategy to improve infrastructure, to review the academic enterprise, ICT infrastructure, financial sustainability and human resources.

A new institutional statute was gazetted on 17 January 2014 and in May 2014, a new council took over from the former administrator Professor Lourens van Staden.

WSU’s vision

Walter Sisulu University (WSU) will be a leading African comprehensive university focusing on innovative educational, research and community partnership programmes that are responsive to local, regional, national development priorities, and cognisant of continental and international imperatives.

WSU’s mission

In pursuit of its vision as a developmental university, WSU will:

• Provide an educationally vibrant and enabling environment that is conducive to the advancement of quality academic, moral, cultural and technological learner-centred education for holistic intellectual empowerment, growth and effective use of information;
• Provide and maintain the highest possible standards in innovative learning and teaching, applied, basic and community-based research and community partnerships in cooperation with development agencies, the public and private sectors;
• Provide affordable, appropriate, career-focused and professional programmes that address rural development and urban renewal with primary emphasis on science, technology and development studies;
• Create a new generation of highly-skilled graduates capable of understanding and addressing complex societal challenges, with critical scholarly and entrepreneurial attributes grounded on morally sound work ethics and responsible leadership.

WSU’s core values

• Academic freedom
• Quality
• Access and success
• Transformation
• People development
• Caring university
• Resource consciousness.