University Reputation Overlooked: A Systematic Literature Review of an Under-Researched Concept

This paper provides an original, systematic review of the literature on the concept of university reputation. Despite its growing strategic relevance, reputation has been the subject of only minimal research. The study includes 219 sources published between 2000 and 2023 and identifies the main themes and gaps in the literature, making it the most comprehensive review conducted to date. The analysis shows that university reputation has become essential for four reasons: Increased global competition, consolidation of knowledge transfer, i.e., the third mission of universities, the growing influence of stakeholders, and the prominence of university rankings. However, despite its importance, the topic has been the subject of limited academic research, which provides a clear rationale for this review as a means of clarifying the concept, its boundaries and implications for universities’ institutional development, and contributing to the expansion of future research avenues. Using quantitative and qualitative content analysis methods, the paper examines how the role of reputation as a strategic asset in decision-making and institutional transformation has been studied. Finally, a definition and a conceptual framework are proposed for future research.