Building a brand name for universities: A case study of Ho Chi Minh City Open University

In the era of globalization and internationalization, students have many choices when pursuing their educational paths. Students today are more mobile and willing to leave their homes to study at their desired university. Building a brand name in this increasingly competitive landscape can be the primary tool for higher education institutions, particularly universities, to differentiate themselves and gain a competitive advantage. However, research on university branding is scarce, and the concept of university branding remains largely unexplored in the Vietnamese context. This study explores how a university can use banding strategies to build its brand name. The analysis utilizes an organizational perspective to gather valuable information and insights into a university’s activities to build and enhance its brand name. Ho Chi Minh City Open University (OU), a top-tiered public university with its main campuses and learning precincts in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is selected to conduct this study. The nature of the study is qualitative, and data is collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with current leaders and staff at the University. The sample utilized in this study includes staff from various departments within the university and current and former executives to gain a comprehensive understanding and capture diverse perspectives. The key findings can be summarized as follows. First, primary stakeholders such as students, parents, staff, and others targeted by the University require different branding strategies. Second, OU can build its brand name through its students and alumni who have studied at the university. Third, OU needs a comprehensive strategy concerning brand name-building and enhancing activities with a focus on students’ affairs and communication. Recommendations have emerged based on these findings for building and enhancing the brand name of Ho Chi Minh City Open University, Vietnam.