Charles Sturt University Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Vann has unveiled the new brand direction for the University at an event in Wagga Wagga, after a period of broad community consultation.

Charles Sturt University is celebrating its heritage as part of its 30-year anniversary in 2019 and the new visual identity brings together old and new to create a bold new look for the institution.

“Charles Sturt University is moving forward with our University Strategy, this is all about serving our communities, our students and our regional industries.

“We are delivering future-facing courses to provide critical skills for the labour market, we are investing in our student services and online delivery, and we are making a clear statement about what we stand for as a higher education institution.

“We know that in a crowded higher education market, we must stand out from our competitors and we must tell our story clearly and purposefully.

“Our new brand direction is unique to us, it is a strong visual statement about who we are at Charles Sturt.

“It’s about showing we are confident, forward-thinking and progressive, keeping pace with changes as they occur.

“Here, we are creating a world worth living in and if you are part of the extended Charles Sturt community, you can too.”

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Students Ms Jenny Roberts said the new brand identity was an articulation of what is different and special about Charles Sturt University.

“We are a University that truly practices what we talk about in our mission, for the public good.

“Our University has the highest number of indigenous students of any Australian University, we are often educating first in family students and we are a true anchor in our communities,” Ms Roberts said.

“We are moving forward with a deep respect for our heritage, which is reflected in the brand identity, to deliver an exceptional education for students and to continue to deliver world class research.”

Charles Sturt University is undergoing a large-scale transformation with an ambitious agenda set for 2022.

A total of $6.5 million is being invested into the Brand Transformation Project. The overarching goal of the project is to reverse the trend of declining student load and to address weak brand recognition. The $6.5 million includes rebrand activities such as design, development and signage as well as advertising for student recruitment and career expos.

Across all strategic initiatives, including information technology, research, scholarships and other strategic focus areas, we are investing $104 million through to 2022. The $6.5 million investment in rebrand is a portion of this.

Some of the initiatives include:

• A new set of courses based on the needs of communities and future workforce skills, including Medicine.
• A new look and feel to online subject delivery – 120 subjects will be updated in 2019 and continue to be led by experts in the field with one-on-one support for students.
• Centralising student communication to ensure students get the information they need, when they need it.
• Support staff will be more visible in both the online and on-campus experience with a central welcome point for all enquiries.
• Establishing 24/7 support to some key service areas such as Information Technology.
• Appointing a new Director, Student Safety and Wellbeing, to ensure a more inclusive and safe space for students.
• Engaging more with local schools regarding the skills needed to be successful in the future
• Engaging more with the community to understand where opportunities and partnerships can be leveraged.