DUT Department of Marketing and Retail

Today, we celebrate excellence, achievement, and the remarkable accomplishments of our students at the Department of Marketing and Retail Management Annual Student Awards Ceremony.

This special event recognises outstanding academic performance, leadership, innovation, community engagement, and the many contributions our students make beyond the classroom.

Congratulations to all our award recipients. Your dedication, resilience, and commitment to excellence continue to inspire us and reflect the bright future of our profession.

If you have not been formally invited, we would still love for you to be part of the celebration. Please join us online as we recognise and celebrate the achievements of our students.

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🌟Celebrating Excellence, Leadership and Achievement🌟

Tomorrow, the Department of Marketing and Retail Management will host our Annual Student Awards Ceremony, celebrating the outstanding achievements, dedication, leadership, and academic excellence of our students.

This special occasion recognises the hard work and commitment of students who have excelled both inside and outside the classroom, and acknowledges the contributions of staff, industry partners, and stakeholders who support student success.

We look forward to an inspiring day of celebrating excellence, rewarding achievement, and recognising the future leaders of the marketing and retail industry.
Congratulations to all our award recipients. We are proud of your accomplishments and wish you continued success in your academic and professional journeys.

🎓 Congratulations to our Programme Manager, Dr Cleopatra Matli, on graduating with her Doctoral Degree. 👏📚

Yesterday marked a proud and memorable moment as Dr Matli officially joined the ranks of doctoral graduates. Her achievement reflects years of dedication, perseverance, academic excellence, and commitment to higher education.

As the Department of Marketing and Retail Management, we are proud to celebrate this significant milestone with her. Dr Matli continues to inspire both staff and students through her leadership, professionalism, and passion for student development and academic growth.

We wish Dr Matli continued success as she embarks on this exciting new chapter as Dr Cleopatra Matli. 🎉🎓

🌟 Bridging Academic Learning and Industry Experience 🌟

We are proud to celebrate the achievements of our Marketing Level 3 student, Owethu Mhlongo, who was selected for the Pearson Student Ambassador Programme with Pearson Education and currently serves as the Campus Ambassador for Durban University of Technology (DUT).

This opportunity reflects the importance of bridging academic learning with real-world industry experience, an essential aspect of preparing graduates for the evolving world of work.

Through this role, Owethu actively engages with students and lecturers at Steve Biko Campus, creating awareness around digital learning tools and student support platforms that enhance the student learning experience. His ability to connect with students authentically as a fellow student has enabled him to make a meaningful impact within the university environment.

Owethu’s journey demonstrates how industry partnerships, digital innovation, and student engagement contribute towards graduate development and employability.

As a department, we are committed to creating opportunities that enable our students to gain practical experience, develop professional skills, and engage meaningfully with industry while they continue their studies.

Congratulations, Owethu. We are proud of your achievement and look forward to your continued growth and success.

Today, our Marketing and Retail Management students attended an insightful Digital Entrepreneurship workshop presented by the DUT Short Course Unit in partnership with NEMISA, facilitated by Ms Cindy Stewart and Ms Nelisiwe Msimango.

The workshop forms part of The Creative Nexus Project: Let Your Creativity Shine, which aims to embed students with entrepreneurial knowledge, digital capability development, innovation, and industry-relevant skills required within the evolving digital economy.

The session focused on equipping students with practical knowledge and skills required to establish and manage digital enterprises. Key areas covered included:

🌟Module 1: Being an Entrepreneur – vision, research, brainstorming, strategy, and goal setting
🌟 Module 2: Understanding the Digital Sector
🌟Module 3: Setting Up a New Digital Enterprise
🌟 Module 4: Applications that Power the Digital Economy

Initiatives such as these continue to strengthen student entrepreneurship, creativity, employability, and future-ready thinking through industry-engaged learning experiences.

A sincere thank you to the DUT Short Course Unit, Ms Cindy Stewart, and Ms Nelisiwe Msimango for empowering our students through this valuable engagement.

🏆✨ CALL FOR APPLICATIONS AND NOMINATIONS ✨🏆

The Department of Marketing and Retail Management is proud to announce the 2026 Student Awards Ceremony under the theme “A Celebration of Excellence: Inspiring Innovation and Impact".

These awards celebrate students who continue to demonstrate excellence, innovation, leadership, entrepreneurship, community engagement, and the Living Values aligned to the DUT ENVISION2030 strategy. 🌍📚

🎖 Award Categories:

• Entrepreneurship Award

• Community Engagement Award

• Leadership Excellence Award

• Living Values Award

We encourage all students to apply or nominate fellow students who are making a meaningful impact at the university and in the broader community.

📅 Deadline for submissions: 25 May 2026

📩 Enquiries: [email protected]

Day 2 of 3 at the 2026 DUT Open Week!

Another exciting day engaging with prospective students, and schools while showcasing the opportunities available within the Faculty of Management Sciences at the Durban University of Technology.

It has been inspiring to interact with learners who are eager to shape their futures and explore the possibilities that higher education can offer. Conversations around innovation, employability, entrepreneurship, and the future of work continue to highlight the importance of preparing graduates who are adaptable, creative, and industry-ready.

Thank you to all the schools, colleagues, student ambassadors, and organising teams who continue to make Open Week such a meaningful experience.

Looking forward to the final day tomorrow!