Marketization of Higher Education and University Branding. Review of: Papadimitrou A. (ed.) Competition in Higher Education Branding and Marketing: National and Global Perspectives

Abstract

The volume reviewed provides a critical examination of contemporary trends in the marketization of higher education and university branding. Being bound to respond to external challenges, in particular seek additional sources of finance in the context of reduced public funding, universities are increasingly more likely to adopt governance and development practices from businesses. The book authors consider higher education as a highly competitive market in which universities compete in a very corporate way. In a competitive climate, university branding becomes an effective way of attracting partners and students. Examples of higher education systems in a number of countries (Belgium, Mozambique, Hong Kong, etc.) are used to investigate the strategies used by universities to create, promote and differentiate their brands. The book also explores specific aspects of private university branding, the role of rankings in brand building, government participation in the positioning of national universities in the global higher education market, and the current challenges in branding development and promotion faced by universities, such as the need to develop social capital, differentiate from other institutions, and deal with piggyback marketing.