Inspiring creativity through FAS Logo Design Competition

The Faculty of Arts and Social Science (FAS) recently held a logo design competition to create a new, modern, and representative visual identity for the faculty. A total of 42 submissions were received from both students and faculty members. The submissions were evaluated based on six criteria: originality, concept clarity, visual impact, incorporation of symbolism, aesthetic appeal and versatility.

Mr Abdullah Ehlid Walid Bin Luli, a lecturer from the Department of Advertising, emerged as the winner. The second prize was awarded to Bachelor of Communication (Honours) Advertising student Lim Kai Ying, while the third prize went to Bachelor of Arts (Honours) English Education student Helina Ng Hui Tong. The prizes were presented by the FAS Deputy Dean for Student Development and Industrial Training, Ms Kok Hui Meian, during the 185th Faculty Board Meeting.

Mr Abdullah Ehlid explained, “The large, stylised letters ‘FAS’ serve as the main focal point of the logo, representing the faculty itself. The letters are bold and slightly curved, conveying a sense of stability and creativity, blending professionalism with a touch of modernity. The red triangle embedded within the letter ‘A’ adds a striking contrast and might symbolise progress or a guiding direction, pointing upward or forward. This shape could represent ambition, growth, or dynamism, aligning with the faculty’s mission to foster intellectual development and forward-thinking. Below the ‘FAS’ text, there is a lightbulb icon with a gear inside and connected lines radiating outward. Traditionally, a lightbulb symbolises ideas, knowledge, and enlightenment, reflecting the educational mission of FAS to illuminate minds. The gear represents mechanics, action, or the process of development. This suggests that FAS emphasises practical application and continuous learning, where knowledge isn’t just theoretical but is applied and ‘set in motion’. The UTAR logo in the bottom left is the official logo of the university, providing a visual link to the university’s branding. The name ‘Faculty of Arts & Social Science’ is written in bold, emphasising the faculty’s identity clearly and formally. The font choice is clean and professional, suitable for an academic institution and reinforcing the seriousness of the faculty’s mission.”

Lim enthused, “For the logo design, I used simple patterns and modern font styles to make the logo professional and attractive. The main colours were UTAR’s iconic colours, such as blue, red and yellow, to ensure coordination with the university’s overall visual system. The pattern elements were books, dialogue boxes, thinking patterns and lights. They symbolised knowledge, academic research, transmission and guidance, highlighting the academic background of arts and social sciences, and representing thinking and wisdom. The stable sans-serif fonts expressed modernity and professionalism, while the slightly artistic fonts reflected the combined characteristics of art and social sciences. Finally, the UTAR logo and faculty names were placed in appropriate positions to ensure they do not conflict when combined with the FAS logo.”

Meanwhile, Helina Ng expressed, “The logo expresses the unique position of the Faculty of Arts and Social Science by combining the symbolic elements of art and science. The shape of the DNA double helix in the centre symbolises science, innovation and the transmission of knowledge, suggesting that the university is not only concerned with the field of art, but also with scientific research. The dark blue curve of the DNA structure is solid and continuous, symbolising the systematic and deep nature of the university’s education. The yellow figures leap between the DNA structures symbolises the vitality and growth of the students, while holding red pencils represents creativity, artistic expression and enthusiasm for learning. It also reflects the university’s educational philosophy of fostering the spirit of inquiry and expression. The letters “FAS” in the logo indicate the name of the faculty, while the UTAR symbol next to it shows the university affiliation. The overall design is simple and modern. It conveys the multidisciplinary character and dynamism of the university.”