Introducing our new brand
The way we look is changing, but our unwavering commitment to our students and our communities remains the same.
ARU's mission has always been to transform lives through innovative, inclusive and entrepreneurial education and research. There’s value in the work that we do, and we’re confident that we do it well. Our new brand encapsulates that confidence.
While we’re moving forward with a new visual style and an emphasis on ARU, we still want to celebrate our history and heritage – so we’ve incorporated elements of our original University crest into our new brand.
As an icon of the East of England, the heron represents self-actualisation, determination and focus. This reflects our commitment to letting people explore, discover and define who they are. But more importantly it acknowledges our students’ ambition and achievements: their successes while they’re with us, and the positive change they bring to the world as graduates.
People are at the heart of ARU, so we’ll be bringing their stories and experiences to the fore. You’ll hear from current students about how they’re realising their ambitions at ARU; from graduates who’ve been given the tools to go out and succeed in the world; and from staff who are committed to making a difference through their teaching and their research.
We’re proud to say you’ll meet people from all walks of life. Some who may always have been destined for university. Some who didn’t think it was an option for them. And some who have witnessed the ability of education to transform lives and now, as lecturers, are passionate about sharing their expertise with a new generation of students.
A common thread running through these stories is people's commitment to the greater good, to giving something back. You could call it idealism. That’s what motivates them.
It’s what motivates us, too.
We know that we help to make the world a better place – not only through our brilliant, diverse groups of students, but through our research, our partnerships with business, and the role we play in our local communities.
We’ve always been firmly rooted in our communities and we want to celebrate our four campuses, our cities and our region. Our new brand will embrace the creative vibrancy of Cambridge and the engineering prowess of Chelmsford; the business powerhouse of London and the healthcare hub of Peterborough.
ARU is a community in itself: a community of staff, students, graduates and partners. We see it in the way our students thrive and in what they go on to achieve. We see it in the genuine, positive impact we have through our dedication to public inclusion, economic development and social good.
Our new brand will shine a light on our dedication to innovative business partnerships, to game-changing research work, and to brilliant outcomes for our students. It speaks for the whole of ARU.