University brand building and recognition: experiences of a selected young university in China

Abstract

ABSTRACT With increased competition for talented students and academic staff, many universities have recognised the importance of brand building to better position in the field. This study selected a recently founded public university in China as the case to explore in what way a young university’s brand is constructed and to what extent such a brand is recognised by different stakeholder groups. Multiple sources of both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analysed, informed by the theoretical lens of Bourdieu’s symbolic capital. Findings of this study show that a university’s brand conveys symbolic meaning and serves the function of distinguishing oneself from competitors in a non-market field. This study also suggests that the value of a particular university’s brand is not equally recognised by different stakeholders. A properly managed brand can generate advantages for universities, particularly young ones, to occupy their position in the field.