?Stellenbosch 肆客足球's (SU) Research for Impact digital platform and magazine won three prestigious awards at the annual Marketing, Advancement and Communication in Education (MACE) Excellence Awards ceremony. The celebration was held on 28 November 2024 on the Eureka Estate in Durbanville.
The Research for Impact platform and magazine were recognised in three competitive categories: Digital (Silver Award), websites (Silver Award) and design for printed channels (Bronze Award).?
?Pictured here: Maryke Hunter-Hüsselmann? & Jorisna Bonthuys,
Editors of the Research for Impact platform & magazine. Pho??to: MACE?? |
The MACE Awards recognise the achievements of specialists and practitioners in marketing and communication in the higher education sector across South Africa. This year, 19 higher education institutions from around the country submitted 293 entries for the awards. Adjudicators evaluated the entries for more than 730 hours. Overall, participating institutions took home a combined 158 awards on the night.
According to Maryke Hunter-Hüsselmann, Director: Research Information and Strategic Initiatives at SU and editor of the digital publication, the recognition from MACE is reassuring in that it “affirms that SU is moving in the right direction with how we communicate about our impactful research and that these efforts resonate with our audiences."
Research for Impact is SU's first digital research magazine. “We are extremely proud of these awards, just two years after launching our new online approach," she says. “This demonstrates that our shift to a digital-first strategy is effectively elevating the visibility of SU's diverse research portfolio, our five strategic research areas and the relevance and impact of our research," added Hunter-Hüsselmann.
The platform combines engaging articles, interviews with leading scientists, and visually striking multimedia elements, making cutting-edge research accessible to both academic and general audiences. In addition to the articles, we include photographs, illustrations, infographics, videos, and sound bites on the platform to create a rich reading experience.
“This approach is relevant, given that we live in the digital age, in which online science communication has become the norm," Hunter-Hüsselmann says. “Web publishing standards have risen dramatically, and this is no exception in higher education. The best science stories on the web nowadays benefit from good storytelling, innovative design and the smart use of multimedia. Regular additions to the platform ensure that the content remains fresh and up to date."
Recent highlights include articles on infant mental health research, transdisciplinary solutions for food security, and a feature on how SU researchers are using virtual reality visualisation and analysis of microscopy data to help address neurological conditions.
More about the Research for Impact platform:
This is an initiative by the Division for Research Development (DRD): https://www0.sun.ac.za/researchforimpact. Here, you will read about the innovative work that our scientists pursue, not only for the sake of research outputs in their respective fields but also to make a real difference in society. We also prioritise the digital readability of our unique, tailor-made content for different devices.
The publication includes stories representing the 肆客足球's five strategic research areas to showcase the initiatives and innovations happening on our campuses and in respective academic fields. Where relevant, it shows how our research relates to national, regional, and global goals to ensure sustainable development and improve prospects for people and the planet.
For more information, contact Maryke Hunter-Hüsselmann at mh3@sun.ac.za.
