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One of six comprehensive universities in South Africa, the Walter Sisulu University (WSU) combines the best academic credentials from universities and technikons in an effort to effectively meet the socio-economic development needs of the nation, in the Eastern Cape Province, and the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, Chris Hani Municipality, King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality.  An institution of a new generation, the WSU is more than the sum of its parts. Its goal is to improve community potential through quality academic programs, research, and community engagement projects with a strong emphasis on involvement and sustainable development. This article considers the different successes and difficulties associated with the WSU rationalization and consolidation of faculties.  This theoretical article observes that the government started using rationalization and consolidation as a tool to reconfigure and reform the higher education sector. Rationalization and consolidation are nothing new, and several nations have used them to revamp or reorganize their higher education industries. The article provides literature debates and scholarly background on comparing the South African higher education sector's proposed rationalisation and consolidation to those of other nations' higher education sectors, however, would reveal the most ambitious reform program ever launched in recent memory. The conceptual paper adopts a thematic qualitative approach.  The primary wave of the mergers mandated by the government that happened in 2004 and 2005 was preceded by the 2002 merger of Walter Sisulu University.

Most higher education marketing theories have not explored student recruitment strategies for masters and doctorate qualifications, particularly in Africa. As a result, this study aims to explore student recruitment initiatives used by South African universities when recruiting students for masters and doctorate qualifications. A qualitative method of investigation was adopted to enable the researcher to judge the effectiveness of policies, practices or innovations in the recruitment of masters and doctorate students. Heterogeneous variation sampling was adopted to allow the researcher to compare university similarities and trends. Telephonic and face to face interviews were conducted to obtain information and opinions from research managers and marketing personnel regarding the recruitment of postgraduate students. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse qualitative data obtained during in-depth interviews. The findings indicate that university recruitment initiatives include individualised marketing and product differentiation. The availability of internal systems to encourage staff and current students to enrol for research degrees was also highlighted. University initiatives will ensure that suitable students are attracted to research masters and doctorate studies. With the university alumni, personnel and the internal students, the public universities can increase postgraduate enrolments.