FORMATION AND EVALUATION OF THE IMAGE OF THE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Abstract
The article considers the strategic importance of forming a positive image of higher education institutions in the conditions of growing competition in the market of educational services and globalization. The image of the university is considered not only as an indicator of its attractiveness for applicants and the public, but also as a key factor of its competitiveness, ability to adapt to changes and maintain stability in a changing socio-economic environment. The authors of the article analyze modern research that covers various approaches to building the image of a higher education institution: managerial, communication, emotional-value and strategic. The article presents a multidimensional structure of the image of a higher education institution, which includes such key elements as the quality of educational services, the professionalism of the teaching staff, the external and material and technical image, the reputation of graduates, the level of social activity and interaction with the public. In particular, the quality of educational services and the professionalism of teachers ensure academic prestige and attractiveness of education. The material and technical image and infrastructure of the institution are an important aspect for the formation of a positive image of the university, which includes modern laboratories, comfortable classrooms, sports facilities that create a favorable environment for the development of students. The reputation of graduates affects the level of trust in the institution, since the successful careers of its graduates indicate the high quality of personnel training.
The article pays special attention to the role of the university's information and communication activities, in particular, activity in social networks and the media, which contribute to the creation of a holistic positive image of the higher education institution. Activity in social networks is a powerful tool for attracting an audience and promoting the university's brand. Social networks and media allow the university to actively interact with future students, graduates, employers and the public, which contributes to maintaining a positive image and rapid response to changes in the information space.
The article proposes a systematic approach to building the image of the university, which covers the stages from market analysis, strategy development and branding to monitoring, stakeholder engagement and crisis management. The application of such a methodology allows universities to effectively position themselves in the educational market, contributing to the attraction of applicants, the formation of long-term partnerships and the improvement of reputation indicators. In addition, a positive image increases the level of support for the university among government agencies and the business environment, which contributes to ensuring its financial stability and increasing investments in infrastructure development. The results obtained can be the basis for developing recommendations for improving the image strategies of Ukrainian universities, ensuring their sustainable growth and development in the national and international educational space.
