With its university magazine upgrade Danube University Krems is Grand Award Winner 2020/2021 winning the Grand Award at the renowned Mercury Excellence Awards in New York. Each year, the international competition honors outstanding contributions in the field of communication from around the world. Upgrade, the university magazine for knowledge and continuing education, succeeded in the Magazine/Design category being designed by the buero8 agency. Upgrade had already won the gold medal in the Magazines – Design/Alumni Magazine category of the competition.
For more than 30 years, the best entries in the field of communication have been honored at the Mercury Awards in New York. The Grand Award was established in 2008 and since the final competition for the gold medal winners of the individual categories Danube University Krems is the third Austrian institution to win this award. 351 projects were in competition, 56 judges responsible for the selection and awarding of prizes this year. Danube University Krems is the second university worldwide, besides the University of Pittsburgh, to win a Mercury Grand Award.
Universities promote dialogue with society
"Universities are engaged in a dialogue with society. Communicating socially relevant topics Danube University Krems regards as part of this. The university magazine upgrade is a contribution making successful science communication visible, with the claim to prepare relevant topics and discourses and to think ahead in perspective," says Friedrich Faulhammer, Rector of Danube University Krems.
The university sees it as its responsibility to introduce actively the topics of science and research to society. Only recently, the University for Continuing Education released the online film "the next thought", making a plea for science and thinking further ahead against the backdrop of current challenges.
"It is one of the responsibilities and challenges of universities to prepare complex scientific topics and to communicate them proactively. Communication formats with innovative approaches such as the university magazine upgrade are an important component when competing intensively for attention. This international award is a rewarding confirmation of our determination to continue on this path," says Stefan Sagl, Head of Communication, Marketing and PR.
About the magazine upgrade
The University of Continuing Education Krems (Danube University Krems) is the leading public university for continuing education in Europe and has been publishing the university magazine "upgrade - The Magazine for Knowledge and Continuing Education" since 2006. The aim of the quarterly magazine, which has a circulation of over 16,000, is to discuss current and future key societal issues from a scientific perspective and at the same time at a high journalistic level in a way that is effective for society. In doing so, innovative approaches in design are deliberately chosen, among other things by means of graphic image galleries, in order to make scientific topics more approachable.
About the Mercury Excellence Awards
For over 30 years, the best entries in the field of communication have been recognized at the Mercury Awards in New York. The gold medal winners of each category enter the final competition for the Grand Award, which has been held since 2008. This year's Grand Award winners in other categories include companies such as HYUNDAI Motor Group South Korea, AUDIBLE Spain and PORSCHE AG Germany. 56 judges made up this year's jury, composed of 28 organizations (agencies and companies) and six countries: USA, Hong Kong (China), South Korea, Chile, Germany, Spain.
FOTOS AND PRINTABLE SCREENSHOTS
Credits
Mercury Grand Award, Best of Magazines – Design
Client: Danube University Krems
Stefan Sagl, Head of the Division of Communication, Marketing and PR
Agency: buero8, Agency for strategic consulting, communication and design
Thomas Kussin, art director; www.buero8.at
Photography: Michael Brus, Michael Brus Studio
Special Recognition: Roman Tronner, Managing Editor
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