At present, relevant branding can result in an impactful representation for universities in the international setting, hence, many are making several attempts to demonstrate their unique selling points. Accompanied with the traditional economic agents and infrastructure, other factors such as life quality, aesthetics and the policies of place development are within the criterion of advancement in recent framework, role of the policy making, place marketing and branding has gradually taken on a critical role in Europe and beyond. Branding is gradually infiltrating the unconventional social markets such as politic.
The place brand has been progressively deemed as an important asset in advancement and an effective mean for differentiation and enhancing the place’s niche. Further, globalisation has resulted in the shift in resources, assets and manpower. Therefore, contesting over gaining the attention and investments of business, visitors, elites and critical events has been escalated.
Designing a brand for a place like university, as a strategic tool for developing a competitive advantage has resulted in a collective movement in order to advertise its history, quality of education, lifestyle of students and prevailing culture and to enhance its chances and influence on the challenging landscape. As such, policy makers will have to focus on the role of university branding, as a strategic development mean for the clarification of identity, positioning in target markets and increasing the self-devotion feeling of workforce.
The intricate strategy of university branding is designing an identity for the university which has been widened from the variables such as history, anthropology, economy, politic and policies. University branding is an approach that provides a distinguished characteristic to the university and a tool that allows the shift of important value of the university.
The fundamental reasons that have enhanced the attentions to the university branding in relation to the inquisition elements include (1) Environmental transformations: globalisation has alleviated the competition of the newly famed universities and the old well-known ones because the present possibility of living and working anywhere across the world (2) Competition are exponentially over retrieving the exquisite resources: Universities are gradually competing over attracting the target audiences. They are also keeping track of their competitors and attempting to source for means to stand out among the crowd (3) Self-governing and budget securement: University have turned into the economic entity in the international platforms and with reduction of government’s attempts to assist universities; their responsibility has elevated regarding their own fates. Therefore, university leaders have become aware of the benefits, which revolves around brand’s investments.
University branding should take into consideration the means to integrate culture, history, economic growth, social development, architecture and infrastructure, landscape and environmental factors; in order to establish an understandable and earnest identity that is recognised by all target audiences.
Participate in the upcoming QS in conversation – Lithuania under the theme of “Enhancing Visibility through International Cooperation: Mobility, Recognition and Branding” from 14-15 October 2019 in Kaunas, Lithuania.