The North-West University (NWU) has been ranked as the best tertiary institution in South Africa when it comes to graphic design training. This is just one of many accolades NWU Graphic Design received at this year’s Pendoring Awards.

The university won three silver awards at the annual competition, which recognises the best efforts in promoting and stimulating advertising in all of South Africa’s indigenous languages.

In the past few years, the NWU’s graphic design students have consistently been in the top positions of not only the Pendoring Awards but also other competitions such as the Loerie Awards. This showcases their immense talents and the skills they acquired through their studies at the NWU.

According to the Pendoring Awards website, the top tertiary institution is determined by taking the strength of the finalists into account. The winner is decided through a tally of points, calculated according to the number of category awards (craft, gold craft, gold, silver, prestige and public service) the participants received.

The NWU had 26 points in the 2017 Pendoring Awards, followed by Greenside Design Center College of Design with 20 points and Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography with 18 points.

According to the awards website, the benefit of the Pendoring ranking is that it gives a clear and concise overview of the performance of all agencies, production houses, tertiary institutions and advertising schools. The ranking is done independently, with no links to any other local creative ranking.

“We are very proud of all our students, especially the fourth and third-year students who consistently do us proud in these national competitions,” says Mr Héniel Fourie, subject head for Graphic Design.

He says NWU Graphic Design had 16 entries in this year’s Pendorings. Three of those won the prestigious Silver Pendoring Awards. “Our students employ impressive narratives in their designs. In our training of new graphic designers we aim to empower them to elevate their ideas to new levels of creativity.”

NWU Graphic Design has a dedicated team of six talented lecturers and was privileged to have a dynamic group of 143 students in 2017. “It is through everyone’s efforts that NWU Graphic Design continues to shine in South Africa and elsewhere,” he concludes.