Slogans are so important in any field, whether, products, services,  business, sports, education, food and many others. Some brands are known by their slogans, eg, “Just do it” is of course Nike’s; “I am worth it” is Loreal, “creating a knowledge society” is Education Zone; “Dior Addict” is Christian Dior; “the best things in life are free, the second best are Chanel”.  I am not going to list slogans here as you can see the gist of what I would like to talk about.

So lets go back to the university slogans, each university has a committee that has to come up with a sentence that would be used on all its advertising campaigns that will help to attract students to it.  I was a party to such advertising campaign when I worked at a university in new Zealand, and we came up with the slogan “trades are hot” meaning that students who join a trade are going to be “ a hot commodity and a hot job”. We had a meeting after the other deciding on the slogan, each came up with ideas, we sorted, mixed and matched until we came up with this slogan.  The slogan is like a book title, you will buy the book because of its name, not because of the content, hence the university slogan, you will enter the university because of its slogan, you will buy a product because of its slogan, you will be influenced because of the slogan.

 

However, I did a collection of slogans from a 100 universities, and then checked the ranking of each. The better the ranking, the nicer is the slogan. For example, Harvard’s is “Veritas” (says it all), Oxford’s is “dominus illuminatio mea” which means the Lord is my light), Cambridge’s is “Hinc lucem et pocula sacra” which means, from here we receive light and sacered thoughts. Only few universities use latin in its slogan/motto, others use English or Arabic or any other language depending where the university is located.

 

Below you will find a few slogans of universities located in Australia, USA, UK, Canada and New Zealand.  I encourage you to read them and ascertain to yourself that you are not going to any university just because of its nice slogan.

 

Choosing univeriites must be a very well calculated decision, as you are going to spend the best 4-5 years of your life in it.  It is not a bottle of perfume that you can chuck away if you didn’t like it.  Choosing a university is like wearing a tattoo on your face, you are stuck with it.

 

Please choose on the basis of fit, safety, location, programmes, ranking, price, living expenses and quality of teaching.  This last one is very tricky as most ranking bodies do not show it as a separate item, however in UK (for example) they have a separate body that ranks universities by the quality of its teachers, and this one is mostly voted by the students themselves.  So if you are the type who want to rely on the teacher for explanation, then this measure is important for you.

 

Enjoy reading.

 

Australia:

University Slogan                                                         
University of Adelaide The light [of learning] under the [Southern] Cross
Charles Darwin University Change your World
Deakin University Worldly
Griffith University Know More. Do More.
La Trobe University Whoever seeks, finds

University of Newcastle

I look ahead
University of South Australia Educating professionals. Creating and applying knowledge. Engaging our communities.
Western Sydney University Unlimited

Australian National University

First to learn the nature of things
Charles Sturt University For the public good
Flinders University Inspiring Achievement
University of Sydney The constellations change, [but] the mind [remains] the same
University of Western Australia Seek Wisdom

 

 

Canada:

University Slogan                                                         
Simon Fraser University We are ready
University of Manitoba “Flourish” or “Prosper”
Royal Roads University Life. Changing

 

 

New Zealand:

University Slogan                                                         
University of Canterbury Therefore your fields will remain (yours)
Auckland University of Technology Explore your future options
Massey University Let knowledge flourish
University of Auckland By natural ability and hard work

 

 

 

 

 

 

United Kingdom:

University Slogan
City, University of London To Serve Mankind
Glasgow Caledonian University For the Common Weal
Manchester Metropolitan University Many Arts, Many Skills
University of Gloucestershire In spirit and truth
University of Exeter We follow the light
University of East Anglia Do Different
University of Manchester Knowledge, wisdom, humanity
Queen’s University Belfast For so much, what shall we give back?
Bournemouth University To Learn is to Change
Cranfield University Out of darkness, light
University of Aberdeen The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord
University of Birmingham Through efforts to high things
University of Glasgow The Way, the Truth, and the Life
University of Liverpool These days of peace foster learning
University of Salford Let us seek higher things
University of Westminster The Lord is our Strength
University of York On the threshold of wisdom
University of the West of England Light Liberty Learning
Anglia Ruskin University Excellence through partnership
Birmingham City University Do what you are doing; attend to your business
Napier University, Edinburgh Without knowledge, all is in vain
Plymouth University Explore, Dream, Discover
RGU University Now by all your mastered arts
Swansea university Technical skill is bereft without culture
University of Hertfordshire Seek Knowledge Throughout Life
University of Northampton Transforming lives, inspiring change
University of Portsmouth Let us follow the Light
Birkbeck university In night is counsel
Queen Mary University of London With united power
Royal Holloway, University of London To be, rather than to seem
Royal Veterinary College confront disease at onset
University of Central Lancashire From the Ground to the Sun
University of Hull Bearing the Torch [of learning]
University of Sunderland Sweetly absorbing knowledge
Durham University Her foundations are upon the holy hills
Keele University Thank God for All
Kingston University Through learning we progress
University of Lancaster Truth lies open to all
Liverpool John Moores University Fortune Assists the Bold
University of Sheffield To discover the causes of things

University College Dublin

To the stars
University of Huddersfield Inspiring tomorrow’s professionals
University of Leeds And Knowledge Will Be Increased
University of Leicester So that they may have life
University of Lincoln Through Wisdom, Liberty
University of Strathclyde The Place of Useful Learning
University of Sussex Be Still and Know

 

 

United States:

University Slogan                                                         
Drew University Freely you have received, Freely give
George Mason Freedom and Learning
Marshall University BE PROUD
University of Alabama at Birmingham Knowledge that will change your world
Saint Louis University Wisdom Builds
University of South Florida Truth and Wisdom
Northeastern University Light, Truth, Courage
Pace University Opportunities
University of Tulsa Wisdom, Faith, Service
Florida Atlantic University Where Tomorrow Begins
Richard Bland College Create your journey
University of Massachusetts By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty
University of Idaho Open Space. Open Minds.
University of New Hampshire Science, Arts, Industry
University of Rhode Island Think big. We do.
University of North Texas We are the Mean Greens
Wheelock College Tough Enough to Inspire a World of Good
James Madison University Knowledge is Liberty
Long Island University To the city and to the world
Merrimack College Through Knowledge to Wisdom
Roosevelt University Dedicated to the enlightenment of the human spirit
Texas A&M University To develop leaders of character dedicated to serving the greater good.
City College of New York Look behind, look here, look ahead
University of Vermont Through Studies and Upright Affairs