Rey Juan Carlos University was named after the former King of Spain; its emblem features a small crown. It is formed by four red circles and a rectangle that hangs over the letter “u,” resembling an ornate diacritical mark. The URJC logo reflects the university’s unique status, prospects, and prestige.
Universidad Rey Juan Carlos was established in July 1996 by the Madrid regional government, under the leadership of Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, and was named after King Juan Carlos I. The first students enrolled in October 1997 as part of an effort to expand access to higher education in southern Madrid.
From the start, the university focused on applied studies and links with business. It developed alongside Universidad Complutense and Universidad Carlos III, positioning itself through newer programs and international outreach.
Campus expansion began quickly. Alcorcón opened in 1997 with a focus on health sciences, Móstoles and Vallecas followed in 1998, and Fuenlabrada in 2000. By the mid-2000s, URJC had become the second-largest public university in the region, after Complutense. It expanded dual-degree programs and increased the share of international students, earning high marks in the QS 2018 rankings for employability and innovation.
In March 2018, an investigation by elDiario.es revealed irregularities in a master’s degree linked to Cristina Cifuentes. Grades had been altered in the system, and similar issues involved Pablo Casado.
The case led to resignations, including Cifuentes on April 25, 2018, and the suspension of professor Enrique Álvarez Conde. Student protests demanded an external review of academic practices.
In 2021, the court cleared Cifuentes but sentenced staff involved in document falsification. Despite the scandal, URJC continued to expand online education and English-language programs while maintaining its academic structure.
Meaning and History
URJC was founded in 1996. As its motto, the school chose the original phrase “Non nova, sed nove,” which translates from Spanish as “The old way in a new manner,” meaning a drive for innovation while respecting the past. Just 15 years later, King Juan Carlos University received the prestigious international title Campus of International Excellence “Energía Inteligencia.
At URJC, you can pursue more than 40 specialties under the Bologna system, six of them in English, including serious scientific programs in the fields of medicine and experimental technologies.
What is URJC?
URJC – Universidad Rey Juan Carlos is a Spanish educational institution named after the king. The university offers education in various fields, including economics, engineering, medicine, and the humanities. It comprises four campuses and numerous research centers and has existed since 1996.
The first logo was created in 1996 and featured the acronym URJC in all caps on a white background. Above the first letter, “U,” is a stylized royal red crown shaped as a band with three dots.
Font and Colors
In 2016, when the University celebrated its 20th anniversary, it was decided to make a special logo for one year. A competition was announced among teachers and students of the educational institution. This option won: a white letter U on a black background, with a red crown on top. Below it is the number 20 and the word “aniversario,” which in Spanish means “anniversary.” On the right is the university’s full name, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, written in white in two lines. This solemn logo has been used throughout the year as an official sign-in print and in online publications.
At the end of 2016, it was decided to leave the logo design unchanged, update the color scheme, and remove the anniversary theme. Black was first replaced by gray, but soon settled on a red background and white-colored letters and icons. The red crown began to be depicted as red rings within a white frame. All three options are considered equivalent and are now used on an equal footing.
The Gill Sans font is used for the letter U, and Helvetica for the words in the title.
A stylized short emblem was also developed: a black letter U on a white plate, two red dots above it, and a red rectangle positioned vertically on top, symbolizing movement into the future.
Both the full and the abbreviated emblems align with the university’s values and policies. The university combines the high standards of a royal educational institution, a modern education system, and advanced scientific research.



