The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has acknowledged the efforts by the students of the University of Johannesburg’s Department of Strategic Communication and Graphic Design in developing a media campaign that is aimed at creating awareness on issues of migration in South Africa and Africa at large.

As part of their academic curriculum, second and third year students were commissioned with a task of developing a campaign that will not only raise awareness about the positive benefits of migration but also promote social cohesion amongst migrants and host communities. This activity comes as a result of an ongoing partnership IOM has with UJ dating back from last year.

A total of 8 teams comprising of 6 to 8 students participated and only 3 teams were awarded for their campaign ideas that fit the brief that was given to them at the beginning of the year 2015. Students researched the topic of migration, surveyed attitudes and misconceptions, and designed their campaigns based on the findings.

“The great diversity in the profile of the migrants, as well as in the range of social ills society associates with migration, indicates a level of complexity that needs to be addressed with a multi-sectorial approach. Partnerships of this calibre are important as they expand the capacity of the IOM and the government of South Africa to gain understanding and come up with solutions that will benefit the country at large,” says Mr. Richard Ots, Chief of Mission for IOM South Africa.

“As a department that has its home in the humanities, we must assume responsibility for those social issues that affect us as humans. Too often we fail as educators to inspire our students to look to those issues that affect us all because it is easier to look away if we can say that we did not know. Our role as educators is to inspire our students to make the world a better place by reflecting on issues such as migration and human trafficking, and to inspire them to seek ways in which they can contribute to changing the world, even in small ways.  This partnership between our Department of Strategic Communication and the IOM has evolved into a unique opportunity for us as educators, and for our students to not only learn through our experience of working with the IOM, but also to contribute to an increasing awareness around social issues of migration,” says Head of Department Sonja Verwey.

Last year IOM partnered with UJ on a similar activity wherein students developed integrated awareness raising campaigns on Human Trafficking in South Africa. Top 5 of the campaigns were then entered into the Southern African Direct Marketing Association Assegai Awards and won Gold and Bronze in the category of Student Direct Marketing Campaigns.