Branding of Higher Education Institutions

Branding has become a common practice in higher education regardless of geographic, political, and cultural context. It refers to the process of instilling a unique and positive impression of an entity in the minds of internal and external stakeholders. The purpose is typically to establish emotional bonds with stakeholders, provide differentiation from competitors, and ultimately generate higher revenues. Strong higher education brands are assumed to differentiate themselves successfully from other institutions and to attract qualified students, funding, and noteworthy faculty members and staff. This entry provides an overview of branding of higher education institutions, including its background, then explores branding as a governance model, as well as the benefits and challenges of branding.