A vibrant logo for Century of Opportunity

In 2016 Victoria University will officially celebrate the founding of our predecessor, Footscray Technical School, in 1916. This significant milestone marks 100 years of delivering high quality, accessible education in the west of Melbourne.

To capture the importance of this occasion, we have reached deep into our archives to develop a single strong symbol that conveys not only our remarkable history but also those qualities which have made us special to thousands of students, educators, researchers and partners though our many incarnations.

The Centenary logo

The Centenary logo was carefully crafted to pay tribute to Victoria University's colourful history. As a visual identity consisting of both a logo mark and a word mark, it is colourful, striking, and full of meaning. The logo mark builds on the form of VU's now well-known diamond, and incorporates the white circle of the individual. The diamond is made up of 100 bright, multi-coloured squares, each representing one year of history from the founding of Footscray Technical School and its subsequent development into Victoria University. These squares may also be perceived as a mosaic or patchwork quilt, representing VU's many communities of students with their diverse backgrounds and rich cultures, or perhaps the many industry partners VU connects to – locally, nationally and globally.

A highlighted section containing 25 squares is set off in blue tones, representing the 25th anniversary of VU's establishment as a university – the first and only one in the region. This component is a mark of respect to Melbourne's west, VU's heartland.

The word mark 'Celebrating a Centenary of Opportunity' creates a link between Footscray Technical School's stated purpose to provide a Door of Opportunity and VU's vision today to be the University of Opportunity. Victoria University is indeed celebrating 100 years of educational opportunity in the west and beyond.

From the past 

When the first Principal Charles Archibald Hoadley opened the doors to Footscray Technical School (FTS) in March 1916, it was on the very site of VU's current Footscray Nicholson Campus. He could not have known then, that 100 years later, the School's direct descendant – Victoria University – would steadfastly follow the aims of FTS to transform lives through education, and build strong and vibrant communities in the process.

Footscray Technical School adopted the motto 'The Door of Opportunity'– a concept that has stood the test of the time. Another motto – 'Knowledge is Power'– was not only a reflection of Hoadley's vision of the transformative power of education, but of the aim of local businesses and the community to prepare the region's young men for roles in the skilled workforce.

While we trace our origins directly from Footscray Technical School, we are the amalgam of many predecessor institutions, each of which has brought something distinctive to our University. When Footscray Technical School became Footscray Technical College in 1958 (and ten years later Footscray Institute of Technology) its new logo featured a white circle within the school's initials, symbolising a person – perhaps a student, a teacher, an industry partner or just 'you'– at the very heart of the institution. This white circle within an institutional logo became a time-honoured theme as Footscray Institute of Technology and the Western Institute merged in 1990 to become Victoria University of Technology, and finally Victoria University in 2005.

To the present

Today, Victoria University is proud of its rich history. As the University of Opportunity, VU continues to play a broad role in helping students from diverse backgrounds find true success. And although VU is still young as a university, direct links to our much loved and respected predecessors give us a strong identity that we will carry forward into the future. The year 2016 is the perfect time to embrace and celebrate our continuous transformation, and recognise our vision to become a great university of the 21st century.

 

 

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