Thinking about the values of the university has led to a reflection on its identity and representations, "an air that sets us apart". It focused on the common name, the logo and its variations. The general idea was to preserve the roots by enriching them.
Without any attempt to rank them, the values defined were as follows:
- Loyalty to its history, its territory and its culture as well as its openness towards others, in a cross-border (Switzerland, Italy), European and international context.
- The taste for individual effort and work well done as well as a responsible collective ambition, the attention paid to democratic life and the transparency of decisions, the choice to share knowledge and solidarity, respect for people and the environment.
- Humanism and openness to the city, which leads us to conceive of ourselves as actors involved in our territorial ecosystem, who intend to participate in designing responses to societal challenges.
- The preservation of the freedoms, independence of mind and critical spirit that are the sources of the creativity of the mind as well as cultural, economic and social innovation.
The name Université de Savoie (UdS) had a traditional image, limited to one department. Enriching the name to "Savoie Mont Blanc" made it possible to cover the two departments of Savoie and Haute-Savoie by using a brand that was being developed. It also strengthened the identity with the reference to the "roof of Europe", known throughout the world. By changing the words, the perception of reality was changed.
The logo was designed to simplify and improve the legibility of the graphic charter.