Logo Tilburg University

Selfie spot (2012)
Campus

Research at TiSEM

When the university changed its name in 2002 (from Katholieke Universiteit Brabant to Universiteit van Tilburg), it was time for a new logo. Until 1986, the Hogeschool’s logo featured a merchant ship, just like TSC St. Olof (which still has two stylized sails in its current logo). After the arrival of new Schools in 1963, the logo became more abstract, culminating in 1986 in a red triangle, with a number of lines decreasing in thickness beneath it. The whole was intended to represent the dynamism of the young university.

The current logo represented a break with the past in every respect. The bright red and the far-reaching abstraction made way for a classic color combination and a number of highly recognizable elements. At the center is the tree, an ancient symbol of knowledge, which in this case also refers to the natural environment in which the university is located. Below the tree are two figures, one with a book and the other with a key. The book is a known symbol of wisdom; the key represents its unlocking.

At the presentation, it was denied that the visual logo established a relationship with Saints Peter and Paul. It was stressed that the duo are in a circle of blue squares, referring to the "open, innovative community where the acquisition of knowledge is central, where people inspire each other, and where commitment to each other and to the society in which we are rooted is of vital importance."

The logo was given a physical location on the west side of the campus in 2012, where it emerged as a popular photo spot for students to be immortalized—with or without a diploma.

More about history and academic heritage

The Tilburg University academic heritage is a very diverse set of archives, visual materials, collections, devices, recorded stories, et cetera that relate to the history of the university.