Rebranding of the first university in the Urals
2025
For 111 years, the Ural Mining University has held the title of the first university established in the Urals. The corresponding decree was signed by Emperor Nicholas II in 1914. Today, the university remains one of the three most recognizable educational institutions in Yekaterinburg.
But recent high school students rarely consider a university’s rich history when choosing a university. Applicants are more often drawn to the university’s image and brand values. So, in 2025, the USMU team came up with the idea of rebranding.
Together with Voskhod, the university unveiled a new branding: «Mining League.» The idea grew out of research: students call the Mining University not just a university, but a community— a «mining brotherhood» —where their own are valued and supported.
When developing the visual identity, the agency’s designers maintained continuity with the coat of arms created over 20 years ago. For example, the corporate identity was based on the colors black and gold, taken from the heraldic description. For the digital environment, Voskhod envisioned a more laconic version of the coat of arms, and for informal media (merchandise, handouts, etc.), they created the university’s first-ever logo. Its central composition also features a pickaxe and hammer, traditionally symbolic of the mining industry.
The new identity has already proven its worth. The university used it for the 2025 admissions campaign. The black and gold design played a significant role in the university’s record-breaking enrollment.
Rebranding of the first university in the Urals