Brand Values of the Lecturers and the Leadership Style Contribute to Enhancing University Branding: A Case Study at Private Universities in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Universities play a crucial role in providing high-quality human resources to support national development. They serve as institutions that equip learners with specialized knowledge and essential skills, enabling them to become a valuable workforce for society. In this context, lecturers play a key role in the development of university education, contributing to building the institution's brand and competitive position in society. The objective of this article is to identify factors that affect the brand value of lecturers and university brands. Research using both qualitative and quantitative methods, the author has used the smallest square structure modeling method (PLS-SEM) to check the suitability of the model with practical survey data. A survey was conducted with 191 lecturers from five private universities in Ho Chi Minh City. The results show that leadership style directly influences the organizational culture of universities, which in turn impacts the enhancement of brand value of lecturers and university branding. The study also explores and clearly identifies that lecturers' brand value has a direct impact on university branding in the era of innovation. The conclusion provides several recommendations for university administrators to implement policies that support and nurture lecturers, helping them become excellent and valuable educators. This, in turn, contributes to the sustainable development of the institution in the era of globalization and innovation.