Strategizing University Image via Official Website: Kemerovo State University and Northeast Petroleum University

The official website of a university is an important tool of image development. A university website provides positioning and promotion by spreading information among applicants and their parents. This research featured the official websites of the Kemerovo State University, Russia, and Northeast Petroleum University in Daqing, China. The authors identified national and cultural differences in strategies of shaping an online image of a university, as well as developed some recommendations for improving these strategies. The stage-by-stage methodology for analyzing the official websites of higher education institutions involved: 1) site architecture; 2) visual design; 3) content; 4) technical analysis; 5) availability for various categories of users; 6) interactivity and communication tools. The comparative analysis revealed both strategic strengths and weaknesses associated with the history, specialization, location, and strategic development goals of the university.