University of KwaZulu-Natal
About UKZN
The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) has swiftly established its credentials as a rapidly transforming and research-intensive institution, and has become one of the leading universities in Africa. UKZN is the only merged South African university that has consistently featured in global university rankings over the last five years. Established in 2004, with roots originating in the erstwhile Universities of Natal and Durban-Westville (founded as University Colleges in 1910 and 1960 respectively), this reconfigured Institution is now one of the largest residential universities in South Africa. UKZN’s Strategic Plan 2017-2021 began the journey towards African Scholarship with its vision of UKZN becoming a Premier University of African Scholarship, a journey that enhanced the research character of the University. This enabled UKZN to be ranked as one of Africa’s most prominent universities in terms of its academic quality and research impact.
Rich in tradition, UKZN has a proud heritage of academic excellence and a history of making a transformative impact regionally, nationally, and globally. The recent publication 100 Years of Academic Excellence, 1910-2010 celebrates this tradition and heritage. UKZN remains deeply committed to advancing African scholarship and being an Institution of Choice for staff and students. As a transformative university which nurtures and develops academic talent and diversity among its students and staff, UKZN aspires to create a deep service culture that inspires greatness across the Institution, in its partners, and also the communities it serves.
UKZN currently has five campuses across the two metropoles of eThekwini (Durban) and Msunduzi (Pietermaritzburg) – which serve as the main hubs of its academic activities.
Challenge
UKZN Executive Director for Corporate Relations, Normah Zondo, needed a 360 degree service that would allow her teams to digitally transform previously administrative processes such as media monitoring, social media community management and divisional performance reporting.
Normah worked with Nicolaas Louw and Maryann LePine-Williams from Meltwater to provide a solution that would work well for the University's mandate. Their Corporate Relations mandate for the 2017-2021 strategy included enhancing the brand and focussing on greater internationalisation and inspire innovation.
"UKZN and Meltwater have set out a long term partnership strategy to form a central component of supporting digital transformation and excellence at UKZN into the 2022-2026 Strategy."
Normah Zondo, Executive Director of Corporate Relations, University of KwaZulu-Natal
Solution
As innovations across the branding, marketing, and communication (BMC) profession continue on the back of COVID-19 and the 4th Industrial Revolution, as well as a mix of macroeconomic and geopolitical pressures, it is crucial professionals know what is on trend to stay ahead of the competition; especially for a division seeking long-term sustainability and potential independent commercial viability/ revenue generation modelling.
University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and Meltwater have partnered in order to provide the University with a single solution that covers all corporate relations, social media management and reporting needs of the wider institution.
UKZN and Meltwater have also set out a long term partnership strategy to form a central component of supporting digital transformation and excellence at UKZN into the 2022-2026 Strategy.
In 2021 the UKZN team were empowered to achieve the following results by leveraging the Meltwater Software and Services:
105% YoY growth in total media coverage (117K mentions)
127% YoY growth in News media reach (37.1B potential reach)
100% YoY increase in sentiment score
218% YoY increase in social media posting activity
57% YoY growth in social media impressions
Summary
In summary the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) has swiftly established its credentials as a rapidly transforming and research-intensive institution, and has become one of the leading universities in Africa, they needed a social management platform to match their ambitious objectives.
This reconfigured Institution is now one of the largest residential universities in South Africa. UKZN’s Strategic Plan 2017-2021 began the journey towards African Scholarship with its vision of UKZN becoming a Premier University of African Scholarship, a journey that enhanced the research character of the University. This enabled UKZN to be ranked as one of Africa’s most prominent universities in terms of its academic quality and research impact. With the increased popularity of the university they needed a 360 degree solution that would transform administrative processes and excel their digital presence. With the Corporate Relations mandate in mind, the UKZN worked with Meltwater to implement the most effective Meltwater products to deliver exceptional results including 218% YoY increase in social media posting activity and 57% YoY growth in social media impressions.
As innovations across the branding, marketing, and communication (BMC) profession continue on the back of COVID-19 and the 4th Industrial Revolution, as well as a mix of macroeconomic and geopolitical pressures, it is crucial professionals know what is on trend to stay ahead of the competition; especially for a division seeking long-term sustainability and potential independent commercial viability/ revenue generation modelling. Therefore, UKZN and Meltwater have also set out a long term partnership strategy to form a central component of supporting digital transformation and excellence at UKZN into the 2022-2026 Strategy.
