Guidelines for use of the Access to HE logo
August 2008
Section 1 – Introduction and frequently asked questions
1 The Access to Higher Education (HE) logo acts as a visual marker for the QAA Recognition Scheme for Access to HE (the Recognition Scheme). It is used to identify Access to HE courses and qualifications approved within the terms of the Recognition Scheme. Access validating agencies (AVAs), licensed by QAA, use the logo to indicate their licensed status and the association of their work with the Recognition Scheme.
2 The logo is also used more broadly by providers and others to promote the common identity and recognition of Access to HE, and is used on a range of materials about events and activities which are related to Access to HE.
What does the Access to HE logo look like?
3 There are two main versions of the Access to HE logo.
Version 1 (for general use)
4 Version 1 shows the Access to HE symbol (an arrow head within an ellipse) and the words 'Access to Higher Education', as illustrated below. This logo is available in black and white or in colour; and in English or Welsh (for use in Wales). These variations (Version 1.1 to Version 1.8 – see Appendix 1) are governed by technical specifications, detailed in Section 2 of this document. No other variations are permitted.
5 To maintain high-quality reproduction, the logo should
be downloaded from the Access to HE website (see Section 2). It should not
be copied from the illustrations in this document or elsewhere..
DO NOT COPY THIS LOGO
DO NOT COPY THIS LOGO
Version 2 (for use on Access to HE Diplomas only)
6 Version 2 is based on the same design, with the same Access to HE symbol (arrow head within an ellipse) as used in Version 1 but with the words 'Access Recognised by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education'. QAA provides this version of the logo directly to AVAs for their exclusive and restricted use on Access to HE Diplomas. Less variation in appearance is permitted for the use of this logo (Version 2.1 to Version 2.2 – see Appendix 1). It is not illustrated here.
Who may use the Access to HE logo?
7 Version 1 of the logo is available to AVAs and Access to HE course providers, who may use it on any materials that are intended to support QAA-recognised Access to HE provision. QAA also uses the logo on documents relating to its own Access to HE work. Any other organisations or individuals who wish to use the logo should contact the Head of Access at QAA via email: access@qaa.ac.uk
8 Only AVAs may use Version 2 of the logo.
How can the Access to HE logo be accessed?
9 Version 1 of the logo can be downloaded from the AVA section of the Access to HE website (www.accesstohe.ac.uk/avas/) for both print and electronic use. The logo should not be copied from this guidance document or elsewhere, as this may affect the quality of reproduction.
10 Version 2 is provided directly to AVAs by QAA. AVAs are not permitted to make this version available to any third party or to reproduce it on any electronic or print documents, other than Access to HE Diplomas.
How is the Access to HE logo used on Access to HE Diplomas?
11 All Access to HE Diplomas awarded by AVAs carry Version 2 of the logo, used in accordance with the technical specifications given in Section 2.
12 Access to HE Diplomas are awarded by AVAs which, as individual awarding bodies, use their own designs for the Access to HE Diplomas which they issue. However, as well as the logo itself, Access to HE Diplomas must also include:
- the student’s name
- the date of award
- the name of the AVA
- the award title, in the standard format required by the qualification specifications: 'Access to Higher Education Diploma (subject/area of study)'
- the signature of the AVA’s Chair or Chief Officer
- the individual Diploma issue number.
13 Access to HE Diplomas may also carry the AVA’s own logo, but should not carry any other logos, signatures or course names.
14 Version 2 of the logo is used on the single document which is the Access to HE Diploma itself. It is not used on credit transcripts or any additional paperwork that may be issued at the same time as the Access to HE Diploma.
15 If the format of the logo used on any Access to HE Diploma raises questions of authenticity, the awarding AVA should be contacted in the first instance. The Access to HE website www.accesstohe.ac.uk/avas/contacts.asp contains contact details for AVAs.
How is the use of the Access to HE logo monitored?
16 AVAs are responsible for ensuring that their own uses of the logo and the quality of its reproduction are consistent with this guidance. AVAs are also required, as part of a responsibility specified within the AVA licensing criteria, to monitor providers’ promotional literature. As part of this monitoring, they should ensure that any uses of the Access to HE logo are consistent with this guidance.
17 Where a provider ceases to offer Access to HE provision, or where approval for an Access to HE course or provider is withdrawn, AVAs should remind the provider that they are no longer entitled to use the Access to HE logo in relation to that provision.
18 QAA monitors AVAs’ use of the Access to HE logo through its regular review processes.
Restrictions on the use of the Access to HE logo
19 The Access to HE logo is a QAA trademark and may not be used for purposes which are unrelated to the Recognition Scheme. Users should take care to ensure that the logo is not used in circumstances which may mislead readers about the particular provision or subject to which the logo is intended to apply.
20 All users of the logo must adhere to the technical specifications detailed in these guidelines. The logo should only be used where high quality reproduction is guaranteed. Materials on which the logo has not been correctly used or where reproduction is of poor quality should be destroyed.
21 Under no circumstances should the logo be used in a manner which may bring the Recognition Scheme into disrepute. Deliberate use of the logo to misrepresent the status of a course or qualification may be regarded as fraud by QAA.
22 The guidance given here relates only to the Access to HE logo. Any queries relating to QAA’s main logo should be directed to QAA’s Head of Communications.
Enquiries
23 Enquiries about using the logo should be directed to the Access to HE
team at QAA via email: access@qaa.ac.uk
Section 2 - Directions for use and technical specifications
24 The different variants of Version 1 of the logo (v1 – v8) are available for download from the Access to HE website (www.accesstohe.ac.uk/avas/). Before using the Access to HE logo you should familiarise yourself with the technical specifications below.
25 All materials should be checked carefully prior to publication (in either print or electronic format) to ensure that the technical specifications have been met. You should check, in particular, that the logo has not been stretched, that it has been reproduced in the correct colour and that the reproduction is of high quality.
Size
26 Version 1 of the logo should be reproduced in a size which is appropriate for its context, but should not be reproduced any smaller than 30mm x 11.2mm. Guidance about appropriate sizes for different situations is given at Appendix 2.
27 In order to resize the logo in Microsoft Word:
- insert the logo into open document
- click on the logo - a line will appear creating a box around the logo
- place your cursor at one of the corners - a two-way arrow will appear
- drag diagonally towards the centre of the box to decrease the size
of the logo,
or drag away from the centre of the box to increase the size of the logo.
28 Do not attempt to alter the size or position of the logo from anywhere else on the logo or the box around it. This will result in the proportions of the logo being distorted and it will appear stretched. If this should happen accidentally, delete the logo and start again. Do not attempt to resize a stretched logo.
29 The area around the logo should not be cropped.
30 The symbol (arrow head in ellipse) and the words ‘Access to Higher Education’ that make up the logo should always appear together. QAA makes use of the symbol within its own family of designs for Access to HE publications. AVAs and other organisations may not use the symbol on its own or as part of another design.
31 Version 2 of the logo (for use on Access to HE Diplomas) is available in one size only (79.6mm x 40.3mm) and must not be reproduced in any other sizes.
Colour
32 Version 1 of the logo is available in two colour options, single colour (black) and full colour (green and black). The logo must not be reproduced using any other colours.
33 If you are using the black logo, the Access to HE symbol must be printed as a solid black; percentage tints must not be used.
34 If you are printing in colour, the Access to HE symbol must be specified as pantone PMS 3425 and the text ('Access to Higher Education') must be in black.
35 Version 2 of the logo must be reproduced in full colour (green and black), with the symbol in green (pantone PMS 3425) and the text ('Access Recognised by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education') in black.
36 A special variant of both versions of the logo is available for circumstances where the logo needs to be printed on a background colour or tint. This variant places the logo inside a wider, white ellipse. The logo must always be presented in this format if it is professionally printed on a coloured background. This requirement does not apply to photocopied material.
Position
37 The Access to HE logo may be positioned at the discretion of your designer but should, in general, be afforded equal prominence when used with other logos. The area around each version of the logo is a white background panel and should not be cropped. This ensures that the integrity of the logo and the space around it is preserved and is not affected by the proximity of any other text or image.
38 Where the logo appears on its own and has been aligned to the left of the page, text that appears under or above the logo should be aligned left with the text in the logo.
39 Do not try to reposition the logo by attempting to click and drag it into a new position. This is likely to distort the dimensions of the logo.
Reproducing the logo
40 Version 1 of the logo is available in GIF, TIF and EPS format. These different formats are provided so that the quality and required characteristics of the logo can be maintained, whatever the medium or context for its reproduction. It is therefore important that, in order to meet other requirements of this guidance, the appropriate format is used, as indicated below.
- GIF format should be used for reproduction of the logo on websites.
- TIF format may be used for other electronic reproduction of the logo (for example, on word-processed documents), but should not be inserted directly on to a webpage. (A TIF file inserted into a word-processed document will retain that format when uploaded on to a website.)
- EPS format should be used for professionally printed documents in print design applications such as QuarkXPress, Adobe InDesign and Adobe PageMaker.
41 The Access to HE website (www.accesstohe.ac.uk/avas/) contains the different variants of Version 1 of the logo for download. You should follow the on-screen instructions to save the logo to your computer.
42 Most variants of Version 1 are available in GIF, TIF and EPS format. However, the ‘ellipse’ variants of the logo (provided for use on coloured backgrounds) are available in GIF and EPS format only, as this is intended principally for professionally printed material or webpages where the whiteness of the ellipse can be represented. Word-processed documents which are to be printed on coloured paper may use one of the other variants of Version 1.
43 To use the TIF file in Microsoft Word:
- click on File on the menu bar and either select Open (to open an existing document) or New (to open a new blank document)
- click Insert on the menu bar
- select Picture (you may need to click on the double arrow heads on the insert drop down menu to show picture)
- select From file - a dialogue box will open
- find the TIF file on your computer and highlight it (select the correct version of the logo for the document)
- click on Insert in the bottom right hand corner of the dialogue box to add the TIF file to your Word file.
44 If you wish to use the logo in any circumstances not covered by this guidance, or you have any other enquiries about reproducing the logo, please contact QAA for advice via email: access@qaa.ac.uk
45 Version 2 (for use on Access to HE Diplomas) is available to AVAs in EPS and TIF format. EPS and TIF files will be emailed directly to AVAs for use on Diplomas printed by a professional printer or for in-house printing of Diplomas.
Appendix 1
Versions of the logo available for use
Version 1 (available for download from the Access to HE website)
|
Colour of background |
Language |
Colour of logo |
|---|---|---|---|
Version 1.1* |
white |
English |
full colour (green and black) |
Version 1.2* |
white |
English |
black and white |
Version 1.3* |
white |
Welsh |
full colour (green and black) |
Version 1.4* |
white |
Welsh |
black and white |
Version 1.5* |
coloured (in white ellipse) |
English |
full colour (green and black) |
Version 1.6* |
coloured (in white ellipse) |
English |
black and white |
Version 1.7* |
coloured (in white ellipse) |
Welsh |
full colour (green and black) |
Version 1.8* |
coloured (in white ellipse) |
Welsh |
black and white |
* for general use; may be resized
Version 2 (not available for download)
|
Colour of background |
Language |
Colour of logo |
|---|---|---|---|
Version 2.1** |
white |
English |
full colour (green and black) |
Version 2.2** |
coloured (in white ellipse) |
English |
full colour (green and black) |
** for use on Access to HE Diplomas only; may not be resized
Appendix 2
Recommended sizes for use of logo in different circumstances
- Do not copy logos from this document. These images are for illustration only.
- Read the guidance before reproducing the logo.
- This guidance on size also applies to the use of the Welsh logo.
Size A (75mm x 28.1mm) This size is recommended for use on A4 documents where no other logos are present. |
|
A |
Size B (65mm x 24.3mm) This size is recommended for use on A4 documents where more than one logo is present. |
|
B |
Size C (45mm x 16.8mm) This size is recommended for use on A5 documents. |
|
C |
Size D (30mm x 11.2mm) This size is recommended for use on AVAs’ stationery (for example, where it appears as one of a number of logos included in a standard header or footer). |
|
D |
Size E (for use on coloured background) This version is for use on background colour only, where the white ellipse will appear as a contrast to the coloured background. |
|
E |
Appendix 3
Quick guide for AVAs when using the logo for Access to HE Diplomas
Use
1 Version 2 of the logo must be used for Access to HE Diplomas (Diplomas). It should not be used for any other purposes or on any other documents.
2 Version 2 of the logo should not appear on the credit transcript or other additional documentation associated with the award of the Diploma.
Access
3 AVAs will be sent version 2 of the logo directly by email by QAA. This version is not available for download from the website.
Storage and security
4 AVAs may store the logo electronically on their own systems, but must ensure security of their systems for appropriate access to, and use of, the logo to produce Diplomas. Access should be restricted to authorised personnel, and AVAs should ensure that any personnel so authorised are directed to the guidelines for the use of the logo.
5 The logo must not be stored or reproduced elsewhere (for example, on any of the AVA’s electronic or hard documents).
Appearance
6 Version 2 of the logo is available for use in one size only (79.6mm
x 40.3mm).
It must not be reproduced in any other sizes.
7 Version 2 of the logo must be reproduced in full colour (green and black), with the symbol in green (pantone PMS 3425) and the text ('Access Recognised by The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education') in black.
8 If the background colour of an AVA’s parchment is something other than white, the version of the logo in which it appears within a white ellipse should be used.
Other items for inclusion on Diplomas
9 In addition to the logo, Diplomas must include:
- the student’s name
- the date of award
- the name of the AVA
- the award title, in the standard format required by the qualification specifications: 'Access to Higher Education Diploma (subject/area of study)'
- the signature of the AVA’s Chair or Chief Officer
- the Diploma issue number.
10 Diplomas may also carry the AVA’s own logo, but should not carry any other logos, signatures or course names.
11 Apart from the reference to QAA that is included within this version of the logo, no other references to QAA should appear on Diplomas.
Enquiries
12 Contact the Access to HE team at QAA if you have any queries relating to the use of the logo on Diplomas (access@qaa.ac.uk).