Branding Higher Education: Exploring Strategic Resources for Sustainable College Enrollment

The decrease in the college-going population, along with the deregulation of the higher education sector has contributed to the consistent decline in undergraduate enrollment in several American universities and colleges. The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center in 2019 reported that the total enrollment of college students in the United States has decreased for 8 successive years (2011–2019), resulting in the closure or merger of some higher educational institutions. Scholars and strategic management professionals have proposed the use of strategic resources to help institutions achieve sustainable enrollment growth. Using a qualitative case study approach and the resource-based view theory as a theoretical framework, the study explored how select administrative stakeholders in a public university leverage brand reputation as a valuable resource in enrollment management in the Southeastern United States. Eight participants were purposefully selected and interviewed. Findings from the study revealed that the administrative stakeholders employed several brand strategies including creating consistent brand messages, exploiting visual identity, and focusing on core values to ensure sustainable enrollment. This study can inform higher educational leaders on how to strategically re-align their brand reputation management strategies to achieve enrollment growth and institutional sustainability.