The impact of university brand image on students’ loyalty: A study of non state universities in Ho Chi Minh City

Abstract

In the integration with the world economy, a large number of universities are gradually increasing, leading to strong competition. Therefore, building and managing a university brand is one of the key strategic solutions to enhance students’ loyalty towards the university. This paper applied brand equity theory and customer-based brand equity (CBBE) models to assume the impact of brand image on students’ loyalty. PLS-SEM was employed for data analysis by Smart- PLS 3 software with 431 respondents (second-year to fourth-year students of non-public universities in Ho Chi Minh City). Research results identified 4 dimensions of university brand image: university heritage, trust, service quality and appearance & atmosphere. The finding revealed that the dimensions of university brand image had a positive impact on university reputation and students’ satisfaction, influencing students’ loyalty. Furthermore, university reputation was also a mediator to moderate the relationship between university brand image and students’ satisfaction. Consequently, managerial implications considered branding and brand image management as a necessary strategy that universities should conduct to attract students, differentiate and create competitive advantages.