The University of Johannesburg (UJ) won big at the 2024 MACE (Marketing, Advancement, and Communication in Education) Excellence Awards, scooping up seven prizes, including the prestigious Platinum Prize. The annual awards, which recognise and celebrate the excellence of specialists and practitioners in marketing, advancement and communication in the higher education sector, were held in Cape Town on Thursday, 28 November 2024.
UJ again reaffirmed its prowess and agility in the communication and marketing space, walking away with the Platinum Award, MACE’s highest honour, for the UJ Alumni Animation, Mpumi. Mpumi is an animated character, created as part of a campaign to get UJ alumni to participate more in the activities of the University. Named after the UJ Alumni magazine, Impumelelo, which means success, the campaign also showcased how the Alumni Office can empower UJ graduates in their career journeys and connect them with a lifelong network of fellow alumni.
Adding to UJ’s prominence at the MACE conference, Dr Nell Ledwaba, Senior Manager for Alumni Relations at UJ, was a featured speaker, delivering a presentation titled Global Trends in South African Higher Education Institutions: Current and Future Directions for Advancement. Dr Ledwaba’s insights inspired delegates to envision a progressive and adaptive future for higher education, positioning UJ as a leader in shaping the landscape of alumni relations and institutional advancement.
Speaking on the Platinum Award, Dr Ledwaba said the win was a recognition of the efforts of the alumni office to cultivate a vibrant alumni community at UJ.
UJ Alumni Office’s Victor Khangale pictured with the Platinum MACE Award.
“The Platinum Award is not just an acknowledgment of our efforts but a celebration of the vibrant alumni community that forms the heart of UJ. Our mission is to ensure that every alumnus feels connected to and proud of their alma mater,” he said.
The Alumni Office at UJ is part of the divisions that falls under the Registrar’s portfolio, under the leadership of Professor Bettine van Vuuren.
Says Prof van Vuuren; “We are absolutely thrilled to receive this recognition for our alumni marketing campaign. It’s a testament to the hard work, creativity, and dedication of our entire team. This award reflects the power of building strong, meaningful connections with our alumni community, and we’re proud of the impact we’ve been able to make. We are excited to continue innovating and engaging with our alumni to create lasting relationships that support our Institution and its mission. ”
The winning streak for UJ continued, with the University Relations division walking away with six awards, further showcasing UJ’s excellence in marketing and communication.
The awards were as follows:
- Four Bronze awards:
Videography: Sophiatown Reborn; Audio, visual and audiovisual: Student Success Stories Campaign; Writing for the web: UJ student graduates with Distinction Despite Life Changing Accident and Events: Celebrating Excellence: UJ’s Tribute to Pitso Mosimane
- Two Silver Awards:
Social Media: UJ Community Corner and Media Relations: In the Media, UJ’s Facial Recognition for 2024 Student Registration
UJ Media Relations Manager Herman Esterhuizen with MACE’s Sithembinkosi Tlale after winning the Silver MACE Award.
Professor Bongani Ngqulunga, Senior Executive Director, University Relations, said the awards celebrated staff that often have the thankless task of showcasing the best the University has to offer to the community it serves.
“We are proud of this performance at the 2024 MACE Excellence Awards. As communicators our role is to shine the spotlight on every corner of this great University, and for the men and women that are normally behind this, it’s a tough and thankless job. This recognition comes as a welcome reminder of the skill and talent we have in our communications, brand and marketing teams.”
The MACE Excellence Awards took place during the 2024 MACE Annual Conference, hosted in Cape Town from 27 to 28 November 2024. This year’s conference brought together thought leaders and practitioners to exchange ideas, celebrate achievements, and explore the future of education in a rapidly changing world
