最近，一家名为“人文新学院”（New College of the Humanities）的学校在伦敦成立，并向英国知识产权局（Intellectual Property Office）申请注册商标。为了避免在名称上的混淆，保护学院专有名称和品牌，牛津大学新学院也向知识产权局申请注册商标。

New College, Oxford¹ is trying to trademark² its name - ahead of a similar registration³ bid by the newly created, private New College of the Humanities.

The 632-year-old Oxford institution has submitted its bid to protect its brand to the Intellectual Property Office.

The New College of the Humanities, launched by philosopher（哲学家） AC Grayling, has also submitted its own bid to trademark its name.

The Intellectual Property Office says a decision on the Oxford bid is imminent⁴（即将来临的） .

But if the New College of the Humanities trademark bid reaches the public consultation⁵ stage, it is believed that New College, Oxford is considering opposing the registering of the name.

The New College of the Humanities (NCH), which plans to admit students in London, rejected any suggestion of confusion between the two institutions.

"We are talking to New College, Oxford, but we don't think there is any confusion between New College of the Humanities and New College, Oxford, given their great heritage and NCH's distinct positioning around humanities and social sciences," said a spokeswoman.

Brand labels

The application from New College, Oxford is for protection of its full name - as the term "New College" is too broad to register separately. There are already several other "New Colleges" - such as New College, Swindon and New College, Nottingham.

Among the issues which will have to be considered by the Intellectual Property Office will be whether the New College of the Humanities, as a brand name, is sufficiently⁶ specific without its name including any location.

The New College, Oxford trademark application covers a wide range of uses.

As well as education services and published materials, the name would be protected for use on products including cufflinks（袖扣） , tankards（大啤酒杯） , waste bins⁷ and umbrellas.

The Intellectual Property Office says that a decision on whether to accept the trademark application is imminent.

If successful, it would join a range of other universities which have already protected their brand names and logos.

Oxford University has already trademarked itself, in a form so comprehensive that it covers its use for underwear, hair lotions⁸, bleaching⁹ preparations, fat removing agents and Christmas trees.

The trademarking for University College London makes sure that no-one can misuse¹⁰ its name in areas including preparations for destroying vermin（害虫，寄生虫） , massage¹¹ apparatus¹² and clothing for animals.

The New College of the Humanities is a private institution being set up in London which will charge up to £18,000 per year in tuition fees.

It has already faced questions about how it is described - as it does not have official university or university college status. The website describes itself as offering a "university-level education".

Students at the college will be prepared for University of London degrees.

The high level of fees, announced at a time of protests over tuition fees, made the college and its founders¹³ a target for anti-cuts protesters.

A flare¹⁴ was released by protesters during a talk by Professor Grayling at a London bookshop.