Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of the national image on the image of its tertiary education among non-nationals and on their choice of location for study. We present a conceptual model of how the image of the nation impacts on the image of tertiary education based upon Ajzen & Fishbein’s (1980) “theory of reasoned action”. With data from China & India, a model is developed from a calibration sample and tested against a validation sample using structural equation modelling. The model fits the data well and shows that a national image for Chic (prestigious, refined, elegant) and Enterprise (innovative, cool, trendy) has a positive influence on the beliefs about, attitudes towards and propensity to consume tertiary education offered by the UK. Our work indicates that there will be mileage in investing not just on the image of education itself, but on the image of the nation in the promotion of international tertiary education.
Highlights
The market for international tertiary education services is large and developing
We have provided empirical evidence to show that the image of a nation can contribute to the image of the nation’s tertiary education in the international arena
Our findings show that both the image of the nation and the image of education affect the interest of overseas students to study in the UK
Summary
The market for international tertiary education services is large and developing. Host countries are inducing “imports” of students while “exporting” their education services in the form of, for example, twinning programmes, distance learning and offshore campuses. In a globalized marketplace, where the competition among products and services is severe, there is a need to differentiate to maintain competitive advantage and the image of the nation is a potentially powerful cue for tertiary education providers to position themselves differently from their international competitors. How to cite this paper: Cai, J., & Loo, T. Decision Making in International Tertiary Education: The Role of National Image. Advances in Journalism and Communication, 2, 109-120.
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