SPU collects five honours at MACE Excellence Awards

SOL PLAATJE University’s (SPU) Department of Institutional Advancement (DIA) collected five awards at the prestigious MACE Excellence Awards gala dinner held recently in Johannesburg.

The awards, which recognise excellence in marketing, advancement and communication in the university, TVET and private higher education sector in South Africa, were presented to the DIA team across three divisions for their outstanding work.

The five accolades acknowledged SPU’s standout work in campaigns, communication channels and design.

Division 1: Campaigns 

• Bronze - Stakeholder Engagement Campaign: “Changing Lives, Enabling Brighter Futures: The SPU Youth Month Campaign”
• Silver - Brand Building Campaign: “SPU Mascot Madness”

Division 2: Channels 

• Bronze - Audio, Visual and Audio-Visual: “Building Unity and Community through Facebook: The SPU Community Big Walk 2025”
• Silver - Printed and Digital Annual Reports: 2023 SPU Annual Report

Division 3: Skills 

• Bronze - Design for Printed Channels: Open Day Poster – “Changing Lives and Enabling Brighter Futures”

The 2025 annual MACE conference and AGM, where the awards were presented, focused on "The Human Touch: Marketing, Advancement and Communication in the Era of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence (AI)". The conference featured plenary sessions, panel discussions, and keynote addresses, exploring topics such as maintaining brand authenticity amid AI-generated content and innovation in advertising.

Before the conference, the SPU team attended the Young Blood Mentoring Workshop, a new addition to the MACE programme, aimed at empowering young professionals in marketing and communication.

"SPU warmly congratulates the Institutional Advancement team for their hard work, creativity, and commitment to strengthening the university's brand, fostering community, and contributing to a vibrant institutional culture," the university said in a statement.