The challenge to attract and retain academic staff at higher education institutions is a global one. Various national and institutional initiatives are underway to ensure that adequate levels of experienced academic staff are retained and at the same time new academic staff are recruited, appointed and nurtured. In South Africa this challenge is compounded by unique contextual factors emanating from the legacy of apartheid, poor management and leadership, and a shortage of talented black academic staff. The need to address the employment equity challenges at our higher education institutions ‒ among academic staff ‒ remains a top priority. Most South African universities are confronted with the urgent need to attract and retain new talented academic staff and at the same time pursue the imperative to change the racial profile of its employees. At face value one would be tempted to believe that the attraction and retention of acad