A New Chapter Begins

Web and digital have evolved in higher education. And so did we.

On Nov. 1, 2024, HighEdWeb became:

Where higher ed and digital connect.

Shaping the future of higher education, together.

Higher Education Web Professionals Association, affectionately known as HighEdWeb, was founded during the heart of the Internet revolution. Throughout the decades we saw emerging tools and technology come and go (or stay). 

You’ve likely seen new positions created, how those job titles have evolved, how new departments and offices formed — and then (re)unify as it became clear that “web” and “digital” wasn’t just its own thing: it was everything. 

Today, digital participation is assumed, no matter what your role. 

Digital Collegium has a place for you.

Shaping the future of our association, together. 

As our professional world continues to expand, so must our organization. We heard our members loud and clear: “web” just simply doesn’t fully represent the scope of what our talented, passionate, forward-thinking community does.

Our new name better reflects where we are — and where we’re headed. Our lively online and in-person programming, rich professional development tools and resources, and commitment to building community continues.

Introducing Digital Collegium: Your in for higher ed innovation

We know our members love the nuts + bolts stuff related to branding (and rebranding)! So here’s a closer look at our new name, logo and other elements of Digital Collegium’s brand identity.

Our name

The name is a perfect blend of academic feel + community.

Digital

Involving or relating to the use of computer technology.

Collegium

An organization for people who have similar interests or do similar work.

Our position and promise

We haven’t changed the heart of who we are.

Brand position

To higher ed professionals, Digital Collegium is the professional network that informs, equips and inspires those shaping the digital-first future of higher education.

Brand promise

Digital Collegium exists to collaboratively shape the future of higher education through digital-first strategies, systems and content.

Our visual identity

A new logo and a fresh coat of paint.

  • The overlapping D and C depict people coming together.
  • The arrows, composed of dots, represent people moving and sharing ideas.
  • The color palette illustrates the vibrance of our community.

Review the brand toolkit.

Your questions, answered

Questions or comments about our rebrand? Share your feedback.

In the meantime, we put together a few answers to anticipated questions:

HighEdWeb rebranded to better align with our evolving membership, who are no longer solely web-focused. By including digital to our name, we look to adapt to member expectations and preferences of our target audience.

By creating a new brand identity — one that advances our focus beyond the web — we can better serve all higher education professionals working in the digital space.

The board, staff and focus groups considered dozens of names, and Digital Collegium rose to the top. While it might seem a bit intimidating at first, it’s a perfect fit. Leading with digital and leaning into the definition of collegium referring to an organization for people who have similar interests — Digital Collegium perfectly describes our community!

We also factored in the legal and practical aspects of a new name, ensuring clean trademarks and available social media handles and domain names.

We began this process in 2021; at the time, industry changes, growth of the association, and feedback from our members identified that “web” was no longer an accurate description of our community. 

The process involved hundreds of community members who shared their knowledge and opinions; this feedback helped shape and bring the new brand to market. 

So far, we’ve completed these milestones:

  • Assembled a Brand Evaluation Task Force.
  • Conducted a brand audit.
  • Collected feedback from stakeholders and committee members.
  • Conducted market and audience research with Melior Group, our research partner.
  • Shared results and solicited feedback from the community.
  • Enlisted the help of Ethos, our brand agency partner.
  • Conducted a competitive analysis.
  • Developed an initial rebrand strategy and rollout plan.
  • Solicited feedback on the strategy from stakeholders and selected volunteers.
  • Created positioning, values, key messages and naming options.
  • Received input and buy-in on the new name from stakeholders and selected volunteers.
  • Developed the new identity and brand standards.
  • Shared options and solicited feedback from stakeholders and selected volunteers.
  • Selected the new identity and brand standards.
  • Launching the rebrand!

Because of the common initials of our new name, we will not be using an acronym. However, we will use #DigiCol as an informal, short reference for the association. 

Research revealed that many education associations favor a blue palette for their logos. Selecting orange is a deliberate attempt to stand out within the industry. Also, as a warm color, orange reflects a more welcoming and inclusive environment.

Orange is paired with teal as both a connection to our brand values of trustworthiness and collaboration and to the blue of our past. The options in our secondary palette provide plenty of creative flexibility for future designs.

Our core events and services will not be changing. You may notice new branding and messaging as we roll out the new brand. Check out membership options and benefits.

Yes. stay tuned for more updates to digitalcollegium.org.

But we won’t revise history. Past conference websites will remain with the HighEdWeb name and logo.

The official legal change of our name will be effective on Nov. 1, 2024. A timeline for key milestones has been established, and we will communicate the progress of these activities when appropriate.

Join the collegium

Our members have access to a range of professional development resources, from an exclusive Slack workspace and job board to event watch parties and community chats.

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