University of Leeds: Curriculum Redefined
Defining a curriculum for the future across the University
The challenge
A key pillar of the University’s new strategy is to increase its impact in the world — a commitment that begins with the curriculum, what is taught and how it is taught. So, the University set out on a 10-year programme to define a new curriculum — an innovative and imaginative approach to education, which would help students gain the knowledge and skills they’d need to increase their influence as global citizens.
Curriculum Redefined would involve building a new teaching framework combining on-site and online learning, designed to fulfil the demands of future careers. The programme also aimed to empower staff to remove the barriers to effective working and make their own working lives easier and more enjoyable. At the same time, it promised to deliver a better student experience and build on the University’s world-leading position. To signal the launch of the programme and to get buy-in from teaching staff, students and support staff, a distinct visual identity was needed, supported by a comprehensive messaging framework to communicate the key benefits of Curriculum Redefined.
Our approach
Curriculum Redefined promised to be one of the most ambitious and far-reaching programmes of transformation undertaken by the University. Literally every taught module was up for review. Faced with such a fundamental change, staff understandably had many questions. The messaging framework we created addressed the needs, priorities and concerns of each audience, providing reassurance and focusing on the benefits of the programme – reduced complexity, streamlined processes, more time for teaching and research, opportunities for career development and clearer choices for students.
Given that Curriculum Redefined was a University-wide initiative, the visual identity we designed to support the programme stayed close to the main University brand. However, a more dynamic photographic style was introduced along with the ‘fast forward’ graphic to reinforce the idea of progress and looking ahead.
