DOHA: The Qatar University (QU) yesterday launched its new corporate identity under the motto "changing for you," marking a new milestone in the ongoing reform plan of the University.
The new logo was launched at a ceremony held at the University premises, attended by senior officials, faculty members and student representatives.
"The new identity represents the corner stone of the university's reform project," said Hamed Al Midfa, Vice-President, administrative affairs, while speaking on behalf of Dr Sheikha Abdulla Al Misned, QU president, who is abroad.
"To many of us this is just a change of image. But its significance stems from its symbolism of the substantive development that this university continues to undergo," Sheikha Al Misned was quoted a saying. Hamed Al Midfa, Vice-President, administrative affairs at Qatar University, addressing the function that marked the launch of the university's new corporate identity yesterday.
"As a national university with progressive institutional methodologies and aspirations, we must respond to needs of the modern age. The visual identity change heralds a new era of development and progress for this university," she added.
While the logo clearly represents the award-winning architectural design of the university, the sandy colours are inspired by the Qatari environment, said Zeina Al Azmeh, director of external relations, while explaining the meaning and implications of the logo. The presence of the digit 1 in the shadow between the two blocks symbolises QU's status as the first, largest and major university in Qatar. The juxtaposition of the Islamic ornaments in one block and parallel lines on the other is meant to represent the university's focus on combining heritage with progressiveness. The parallel lines also represent the university's alignment with national goals.
The logotype in English and Arabic reflects a university that is both solid, established and student friendly through the selection of a modern, youthful and attractive Arabic font, explained Zeina.
Dr Sheikha bin Jabor Al Thani, Vice-President, academic affairs, said the new logo represented the dynamic wishes of the university to match the flow of information and new trends and laws in the education system. Mohammed Abdul Aziz Al Sulaiti, a student of the College of Shariah also spoke representing the 9,000 students of the university. The speeches were followed by the official unveiling of the logo, which the audience received with loud applause. The new designs of various colleges of the university were also unveiled on the occasion, each college being represented by a distinctive colour pattern.
A new English website of the university was also launched for internal testing and feedback. The website will be available for external audiences by the end of this month.
The new corporate identity launch was supported with a full range of quality brochures.
© The Peninsula 2006
