The New Generation Outstanding Students Award – This category is open to all registered first-, second- and third-year students, and Honours students, at African universities. This award recognises individuals or group excellence in conceptualisation and innovative use of communication curriculum content to develop a digital campaign that promotes community stakeholder engagement, with excellent use of resources to drive positive community impact through active citizenship.

New Generation Social and Digital Media Awards managing director Stephen Paxton adds that this year we will also see the inclusion of the Outstanding Students Award, in partnership with the University of Johannesburg, which is open to registered students from across the continent. He goes on to say, “Academics play a massive role within the industry and are developing some truly amazing campaigns through the innovative use of technology, social and digital media. This category gives them the platform to shine, to be acknowledged on a national level and compete alongside their peers.”

Professor Sonja Verwey, who is head of the Department of Strategic Communication and head of school for the School of Communication at the University of Johannesburg, adds, “The introduction of a student category in the New Generation Awards is a hugely exciting prospect for the Department of Strategic Communication at the University of Johannesburg. We are privileged to participate in initiating such a valuable and innovative award category, which will provide our students with exciting new opportunities to showcase their digital communication skills and knowledge.

“This award will provide a unique opportunity for students from multiple disciplines across the continent to compete with their peers. As the only Department of Strategic Communication on the African continent, we have always tried to lead the way in this discipline, and this partnership is particularly important because it will also provide our students with exciting new challenges and opportunities to use digital resources for the betterment of their communities, while also enriching their learning experience.”

Paxton thanks the University of Johannesburg for showing the initiative to help kick-start this new award, and encourages all other universities to enter its students from within their strategic communications and marketing departments. Student discounts on entries apply.