Uncovering Emerging Research Themes in Higher Education Branding: A Bibliometric Analysis

In today's competitive and globalized environment, higher education institutions must establish a solid and enduring reputation to influence prospective students' rational and emotional decision-making processes. This study maps the research landscape on brand equity in higher education through a bibliometric analysis of 628 publications from the Web of Science database. We identified leading authors, influential journals, and emerging trends using advanced tools such as VOSviewer and Biblioshiny. Our methodology incorporates bibliographic coupling, citation analysis, cluster analysis, keyword examination, and a four-field diagram to uncover new insights into brand awareness, brand equity, brand image, and loyalty. The study underscores the crucial role of a robust reputation as a critical factor in attracting students. Our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of higher education branding, ensuring robustness and generalizability across bibliometric datasets, and contribute significantly to advancing research in this field.