As we get ready to turn the page on 2025, take a moment to look ahead at a few of the events, initiatives and construction on tap in 2026.

1. Brand Launch: Phase 3

UAB’s updated primary logo was first shared with campus in summer 2024 and a refreshed visual identity system debuted in early 2025. During a special Brand New Year Event at the UAB Bookstore from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Jan. 21, 2026, students, faculty and staff can snag a free UAB T-shirt (while supplies last; one T-shirt per person). There also will be discounts on branded merchandise, chances to win UAB swag by answering questions about UAB’s brand, and an opportunity to meet UAB Athletics players for photo ops and autographs.

Additional spirit marks will be released in 2026, along with a new brand toolkit site to help faculty and staff.

2. Blaze celebrates his 30th birthday

Our beloved dragon mascot reaches three decades on Jan. 6, 2026. Mark your calendars for the Men’s Basketball game against Tulsa on Jan. 18 at 2 p.m., when Blaze will be honored. Learn more about the team behind Blaze in this UAB Magazine feature.

3. Big names come to town

The 2025-2026 season at the Alys Stephens Center continues with a host of shows, including Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, on Feb. 1 (this show is already sold out); Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble on Feb. 6; Darlene Love on Feb. 14; Jane Lynch and Kate Flannery starring in “The Trouble with Angels” on March 1; Ira Glass on April 18; and the Indigo Girls on April 26. See the full list here.

4. New student recruitment campaign

In 2026, a new student recruitment campaign will kick off as part of the university’s Student SUCCESS Initiative to grow enrollment and create a seamless experience of student support from interest in UAB to graduation. Check out the current prospective student viewbook here.

5. Town halls for Research Strategic Initiative and Student SUCCESS Initiative

Plan to catch up on the latest on the Research Strategic Initiative at a town hall scheduled for 10 a.m. March 19. A town hall on the Student SUCCESS Initiative is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Oct. 7.

6. New degree programs and certificates begin enrolling

A number of new degrees and certificates were launched in 2025 and more follow in 2026.

Several certificates start in spring 2026; all are offered 100 percent online:

• The School of Nursing’s Post-Graduate Certificate in Addictions Nursing will teach the latest skills and current guidance on treating patients, whether they are adults or were exposed to substances in utero or as infants or children.

• The Graduate School’s Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate and Professional Studies is introducing a new Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education that trains future educators on how to be successful and how to provide supportive, inclusive environments for their students, regardless of discipline.

• The School of Education and Human Sciences’ Graduate Certificate in Learning Design and Learning Sciences supports those who are interested in careers as learning experience designers, digital learning architects, EdTech entrepreneurs or museum learning specialists.

• The School of Public Health’s Graduate Certificate in Climate and Health focuses on the effects of a changing climate on human health, including issues of equity and how different populations are affected. It also covers methods for preventing, lessening, or adapting to climate change, allowing students to specialize further.

In fall 2026, the new bachelor of science degree program in Medical Laboratory Science in the School of Health Professions begins enrolling students.

Also in fall 2026, the School of Nursing’s Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence in Nursing debuts. tudents learn to evaluate, implement, and lead AI initiatives to improve patient outcomes, optimize nursing operations, and support evidence-based practice by exploring AI fundamentals, integration strategies, diverse applications, ethical considerations, and completing a capstone project addressing a nursing practice challenge. 

See all available undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates on the Find Your Degree site.

7-9. New faces on campus

Work will continue or commence on three major new facilities in 2026.

7. The Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research and Psychology Building on University Boulevard is an eight-story, $190 million facility for the Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine and College of Arts and Sciences that will include wet and dry research laboratories and research support spaces. The building is made possible by $152 million in federal funding; it is currently set for a late 2026/first quarter 2027 opening.

8. Work on a $14.6 million renovation at Bartow Arena is anticipated to begin following the completion of UAB's spring 2026 commencement ceremonies. The project includes an entrance lobby expansion, club-level lounge and club-level seating for enhanced viewing experience, replacement of lower bowl retractable seating to elevate the fan experience, and concourse improvements that include lighting and updated restrooms.

9. The $73 million expansion of UAB’s Emergency Department continues, adding 66,000 square feet of clinical space and 59 exam rooms. Completion is anticipated in summer 2027. There has been a 20 percent increase in patient volume at the state’s only Level 1 Adult Trauma Center over the past five years.