Branding Dutch higher education
04 Nov 2009
A new logo for Dutch higher education was introduced in January 2008, and now plays a central role in the international branding of Dutch higher education. The logo creates a uniquely internationally recognizable visual identity for the Dutch academic community.
The Netherlands has a population of 16 million and a gross domestic product of €30,174 per capita. Higher education is well developed and the research & development sector even more so.
With over 1,450 international study programmes, the Netherlands is the largest provider of English-taught study programmes on continental Europe.
Research has shown that international students choose the Netherlands because of the academic quality and the cosmopolitan atmosphere. For their part, Dutch higher education institutions consider the international staff and student populations an important part of their quality assurance policy.
Brand
The new brand and logo convey this immediately. The logo combines traditional symbols of Holland – the tulip and the windmill – with symbols for higher education and research. The tagline is "Study in Holland: open to international minds".
The brand was developed in close cooperation with several Dutch higher education institutions. International students played an important role in selecting the final design.
The new brand has a prominent place in all media for the Study in Holland campaign, which Nuffic runs each year to promote higher education in the Netherlands. The brand will also be used by the Netherlands Education Support Offices (Nesos), Nuffic’s network of offices in locations strategically important for Dutch higher education.
Use by higher education institutions
The brand can be used by higher education institutions who are accredited by the Netherlands-Flemish Accreditation Organization (NVAO). They must also have signed up to the Code of Conduct, which is a set of minimum standards for the teaching and care provided to international students in the Netherlands. Any misuse of the brand will be acted upon.
