Vignette 131: Our coat of arms

The University’s coat of arms was granted by the College of Arms, London, in 1925. It is our official symbol and the stamp that ratifies every degree parchment the University bestows. 

The crest or shield displays an open book and five stars: one of eight, two of seven, one of six and one of five points—representing the Southern Cross. A scroll sits directly below the shield, containing the University’s Latin motto Sub Cruce Lumen ‘the light (of learning) under the (Southern) Cross’. Taken together, we see a powerful image, of starlight reflected in the bright minds of our learners.

The University of Adelaide: 150 Years of Making History.  Preserving a legacy.  p.178