BRAND COMMUNICATION OF EU LEADING UNIVERSITIES: INSPIRATIONS FOR THE UKRAINIAN CONTEXT

Abstract

The paradigm shift within the administrative framework of domestic higher education institutions (universities) towards marketing management necessitates the incorpora-tion of innovative methodologies in relation to their positioning, branding, and brand communications. Consequently, there exists merit in scrutinizing and assimilating the progressive experiences of leading European universities within the realm of their brand communications. The article presents the results of analysis of universities' branding activities in a qualitative case study of ten EU universities, which occupy leading positions in the Shanghai Academic International Ranking of Universities. An examination of the preceding decade reveals discernible qualitative transformations in the modalities through which universities articulate their inherent values. In the initial years of the second decade of the 21st century, preeminent values encompassed excellence (or quality), social justice (or diversity), third mission (or outreach), academic orientation, community (or collaboration), internationalization, and performance measurement (or evaluation) (Mampaey, Huisman, and Seeber (2015). These values were extensively disseminated by universities as part of their brand communications. Emergent values observable in the contemporary brand communications of leading EU universities include: аutonomy, academic freedom, innovative mindset, creation of an innovative ecosystem, marketization of research, ethics and academic integrity, sustainable and сlimate-friendly organization, make a difference approach, impact, openness, courageousness, effectiveness, solution-oriented thinking, life-long partnership, сrea-tion the environment, society confidence, brand development, creativity, cultural influ-ence. An evolution in brand communication strategies of EU universities has been discerned. While the early years of the second decade of the 21st century witnessed a notable convergence in these strategies among leading universities, accompanied by “mimic” strategies by less competitive institutions, the current trend reflects a divergence in these approaches. This differentiation is evidently driven by the distinctive characteris-tics inherent to each university, a strategic vision for future development, and a proactive inclination to establish a distinct and clearly differentiated position within the competitive landscape.