You are what you communicate: on the relationships among university brand personality, identification, student participation, and citizenship behaviour

Abstract

This article presents an empirical investigation of the effects university brand personality and student–university identification have on student participation and citizenship behaviour in the context of higher education. The study employed a self-administered questionnaire to collect data from 433 university students. The data were analysed using structural equation modelling. The results revealed that only the sincerity and lively facets of university brand personality play a vital role in informing student–university identification. Furthermore, when students perceive their university brand to be more sincere, they are more likely to exhibit citizenship behaviour. The study also found that students who identify with their university engage in various forms of participation and citizenship behaviours. University administrators can streamline their marketing and branding communication to emphasise specific brand characteristics in order to improve student identification with the university and student engagement in university-supportive and extra-role behaviours.