ATLANTA — ABET, the global accreditor of college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology, today unveiled a new brand identity that signifies its growth and transformation, and reflects the organization’s determination to position itself for the future and align itself more closely with the sectors it serves.

“The launch of our new brand identity is just a piece of a much larger and comprehensive research process to explore ABET’s brand and positioning,” said Michael K.J. Milligan, ABET Executive Director and CEO. “This process was inclusive in nature, seeking the opinions of as many stakeholders as possible. It involved ABET’s own volunteers — evaluators, commissioners, and Board members — those leading the programs we accredit, policymakers, industry, and international partners. The process ABET undertook was a proven one that many leading global organizations in the public and private sector have employed.”

“I am confident that this positioning will make ABET a modern, 21st-century organization that is fit and ready for the future — a visionary and dynamic organization that understands its purpose and its value,” Milligan continued. “And our new tagline, ‘Be Confident,’ sums it all up: we exist so that together with our constituents we can be confident in our processes, the impact we have on technical education, and the graduates produced by the programs ABET accredits.”

“ABET has a solid brand that is based on our heritage and presence, but we are also an organization that is poised for tremendous growth,” Milligan stated. “Our new brand identity reflects that. Our strong connection with our many stakeholders compels us to evolve to meet their needs. Our modern identity and logo reflect our determination to move forward and challenge ourselves. It is also a daily reminder of what we have set out to do — assure confidence.”

ABET’s new logo is an abstract mark that uses a simple visual form to convey the organization’s purpose. It is a contemporary and fresh design created to appeal to a modern audience — the next generation of computer scientists, engineers, and technologists — who will shape our world.

“A circle is bold, confident, timeless, and dynamic,” explained Danielle Duran Baron, ABET Senior Director, Global Communications and Marketing. “It can be associated with concepts that are relevant to ABET, such as globalism, unity, and continuous quality improvement. The color orange is associated with positive outlook, inspiring confidence and motivation, while the grey we use for the ABET word-mark that sits under the circle is associated with precision and sophistication.”

Award-winning Baltimore firm Ashton Design created the new identity. London-based reputation and management consultancy Neil Gaught & Associates conducted the research and defined the positioning strategy.

“Our goal was to reinforce ABET’s position as the global leader in accreditation and help ensure the qualities that make it unique contribute to its future success,” said Neil Gaught, founder and lead consultant. “The impact of the positioning strategy will touch on all aspects of the organization and help enhance and align ABET’s structure, processes, and capabilities. We were also extremely fortunate to have found in Ashton Design a local partner of real quality that truly understood our research and ABET’s opportunity, creating an identity that reflects who ABET is and where it needs to be positioned as an organization.”

To download the new ABET logo and other visuals, please contact our Communications and Marketing Department at comms@abet.org.

To view a video on ABET’s new brand identity, click here.

Contact
Keryl Cryer, 410.347.7728
comms@abet.org

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About ABET

ABET is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization with ISO 9001:2008 certification. We accredit college and university programs in the disciplines of applied science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology at the associate, bachelor, and master degree levels.

With ABET accreditation, students, employers, and the society we serve can be confident that a program meets the quality standards that produce graduates prepared to enter a global workforce.