UCL Unveils its First Rebrand in 20 Years

Image Credit: Student’s Union UCL

UCL has given Pi early access to its first major rebrand in two decades, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how the university plans to remodel its global identity for the foreseeable future.

Timed to fit in with the momentum garnered by UCL200, the rebrand will be launched at 5pm today. It has inspired reflection on the institution's past, present, and future.

From this week, UCL will begin a phased rollout of the new brand image to its students, staff, alumni, and wider community. This will include guidelines, an updated narrative, and more information on its purpose.

Why now?

Despite its reputation and consistent ranking as a global top 10 university, research shows UCL is not well-known in some areas of the world. The brand, plainly, “lacked distinction,” even with Londoners, where only half reported having some knowledge of UCL.

The Bicentenary and beyond then signalled a unique opportunity for the institution to reimagine, refresh, and redefine how UCL is understood and presented on the global stage.

What does the new branding represent?

The new branding will cultivate a modern way to tell UCL’s stories, past and present. It honours its heritage whilst sharpening an image for UCL that is bold, contemporary, and relevant. Victor Chu, UCL Council Member and Chairman, echoes this, commenting, “this refreshed brand captures that spirit - not by changing who we are but by expressing our values, our energy, and our commitment with greater clarity.”

Development for the new branding was experience-centric. More than 7100 staff, students, external partners, and supporters came together from across the globe in workshops and focus groups to ponder what UCL “means to them”. 

Statements that emerged positioned UCL as a unique “platform for possibility”, where “here it can happen.” This verbal identity reaffirmed the institution’s need for a cohesive narrative; prestigious yet exciting and inclusive, where anything can happen. 

Whilst students may be marked with “Bleed Purple” facepaint during Varsity, many participating in these workshops and focus felt this “Purple Identity” could be better solidified at the institution’s visual forefront. This feedback has markedly impacted the brand image, featuring purple as the new logo’s main colour.

Whilst old is traded for new, some habits are hard to break: the Portico cannot be shaken. 

However, its use did face some resistance. Many reported that it lacked the modernity the new branding aimed for. Others reflected fondly on the Portico, marking it as uniquely recognisable to UCL. The new logo amalgamates both viewpoints: a reworked portico, with ‘pillars’ familiar to both Bloomsbury and UCL East campuses, representing UCL’s institutional growth and innovation.

Where can you see the new logo, and brand colours?

From today, the UCL website will preview the main logo alongside a special UCL200 version. Beyond the logo, the preview launches the updated brand colours and narrative, conveying UCL’s “energy, breadth, ambition, and values.”

On campus, the change will be phased in. With 250+ buildings and over 70000 staff to tackle, the new logo and colours will appear on signs around the Quad and banners on Gordon Street from next month. 

From 2026, the rollout will continue more gradually with guidance and support on its use. In January, more information will be published on the brand website. This will include downloadable resources, intended to be introduced into Powerpoint presentations, day-to-day work, and other impactful communications and campaigns.

What does this mean for students?

Students have seen their fair share of visual changes around campus, from cafe renovations to library upgrades, so what does this change to image and identity mean for students?

Whilst UCL’s Students’ Union President, Anam Eijaz Choudhary, comments that “current students and alumni will greatly benefit from the impact the new brand will have,” it has not been explicitly stated what these benefits actually are.

Dr Michael Spence, UCL President and Provost mirrors similarly sweeping aims, highlighting how he “look[s] forward to seeing this new visual and verbal identity being introduced consistently across UCL, strengthening recognition of this incredible institution and fantastic community that makes great things happen.” 

Whether you love the purple, hate the antiquity of the Portico pillars, or are indifferent to the new font, only time will tell whether this promised “recognition” will translate into tangible impact for its “fantastic community”, or whether it will feel merely cosmetic to those who study here.