Less than a month after the last AIS scholarship finished on January 1, the traditional red and blue colours, which have been used since 1981, will be scrapped in favour of ''Australian colours'' when the institute launches a new brand next month.

It's the next step in the Winning Edge 10-year strategic plan, which targets an ambitious top-five medal tally finish at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016.

The AIS stopped offering scholarships this year, with individual sports taking responsibility for funding, development and athletes.

Australian Sports Commission chief executive Simon Hollingsworth said the AIS logo had become a ''static symbol''.

Hollingsworth also insisted officials never considered changing the name of the AIS.

''The name AIS is well known and is up there with the biggest of the sporting codes,'' Hollingsworth said.

''But no one knows what the

logo is. We're absolutely recognising what's been achieved in the past but we're also doing some things differently.

''We're a national organisation that focuses on international outcomes so red, white and blue doesn't represent us in the marketplace.''

Prompted by the Winning Edge plan, the AIS started investigating last year whether it should change its name and logo.

Last year there were eight sports offering residential AIS scholarships in Canberra - swimming, basketball, soccer, netball, rowing, tennis, athletics and men's volleyball.

But the AIS scholarship program ceased to exist on January 1.

Individual sports now offer scholarships to train full-time in Canberra, but athletes don't have to live on campus at the AIS.

Swimming Australia and Basketball Australia have both started new scholarship systems with athletes to be based in the capital while using the AIS facilities.

The AIS Bruce campus is still an important part of the Winning Edge plan, but sports have more accountability for their governance, finances and performances.

The original AIS logo was designed by a competition winner in 1981. It depicts an athlete with hands clasped overhead after winning an event.

The new logo has been road tested with athletes and sponsors.

''The new logo is more dynamic. The old logo was a static symbol, some described as looking like an old fuel company,'' Hollingsworth said.

''Winning Edge is about setting up high performance for the next decade and our image is important.

''We're on a journey and we think there's a much stronger focus on what the AIS is doing, there's a greater sense of partnership and we're all in this together.''