By Staff Reporter
The University of Pretoria (UP) was the most awarded institution at the 2025 Marketing, Advancement and Communication in Education (MACE) Excellence Awards.
UP secured 34 honours from 47 submissions, outperforming universities across South Africa, with Director of Institutional Advancement Rikus Delport crediting the institution’s success to the passion, discipline and imagination of its communications and marketing teams.
“This achievement reflects the dedication and creativity of our teams, and their commitment to telling UP’s story with excellence, innovation and purpose,” he said.
The MACE Excellence Awards recognise outstanding contributions across the sector and this year drew 309 entries from institutions nationwide.
Celebrated under the theme “The Human Touch”, the awards highlighted creativity, innovation and the ability of universities to connect authentically with diverse audiences.
UP’s achievement stands out not only for its volume of awards but also for the breadth of departments involved, with the Department of Institutional Advancement (DIA), the Department of Enrolment and Student Administration (DESA), and the Strategic Programme Office producing a wide range of high-calibre submissions.
Delport noted that the awards recognise the long hours and strategic planning that go into campaigns and publications which shape the public’s understanding of UP’s achievements, identity and mission.
He highlighted the university’s flagship “Re.Search” magazine, describing its recent issues as evidence of UP’s commitment to showcasing world-class research and innovation.
Issue 11, focused on digital transformation, and Issue 10, celebrating a decade of publication, were the most decorated UP submissions this year, earning multiple Bronze awards across categories.
Delport also praised the university’s student recruitment and fundraising campaigns, alumni engagement initiatives, issue-based communication around topics such as substance abuse, and the university’s strong performance on digital platforms including TikTok and the upgraded UP Mobile App.
These efforts, he said, play a key role in strengthening institutional visibility, supporting student success, and celebrating UP’s diverse and dynamic community.
The judging panel recognised UP’s ability to communicate across multiple formats and audiences, acknowledging the university’s use of digital technologies, multimedia storytelling and creative design.
UP’s upgraded Mobile App was awarded Gold for its role in improving access to learning and reinforcing the university’s international profile.
Also receiving Gold was the digital fundraising campaign centred on raffling a rare 1967 VW Beetle once owned by longest serving former UP Vice-Chancellor CH Rautenbach.
The initiative captured public interest and raised R1 million for missing-middle students.
Another Gold award went to Alumni in Action, a publication designed to welcome graduates into the UP alumni community by emphasising the lifelong bond between alumni and their alma mater.
UP’s digital alumni magazine “Alma Matters” received similar recognition for its role in connecting institutional achievements with alumni success stories and strengthening global alumni networks.
The university was honoured for its scriptwriting in the Shaping You video, which served as the centrepiece of the #ChooseUP event for prospective students and featured an original, aspirational song.
A further Gold recognition was given to the Tuks Alumni Fan Zone initiative, an energetic sports-based engagement platform that has helped deepen alumni loyalty.
Alongside these top honours, UP accumulated numerous Silver and Bronze awards for work across stakeholder engagement, graduation campaigns, student recruitment messaging, printed materials, website design, events management, videography and research-focused news writing.
UP’s strong performance at the MACE Excellence Awards comes at a time when the university continues to excel on global rankings.
It was recently placed seventh in the world for Sustainable Development Goal 17 and ranked first in Africa for SDG 16 in the 2025 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.
The institution also maintains leading positions in multiple academic disciplines according to international subject rankings.
With more than 56 000 students, nine faculties and a business school, UP’s communication footprint is extensive and critical to its identity.
Delport said the awards reaffirm UP’s place as a frontrunner in innovation and excellence, celebrating a communications environment that aligns with the university’s mission to build a better future through knowledge, inclusion and global partnerships.
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