Educational Marketing from the Perspective of Enhancing University Attractiveness and Strengthening its Image. Summary of the PhD thesis in Economics

Abstract

The phenomenon of globalization and the rapid digitalization of all areas of social and economic activity require the alignment of educational processes in the Republic of Moldova with the characteristics and development trends of higher education at the global, European, and regional levels, with university development increasingly focused on quality, competitiveness, and attractiveness. Universities must acknowledge that global and regional competition has significantly affected higher education in the Republic of Moldova, insofar as education is no longer constrained by national borders, and that in the future they will operate in an increasingly competitive environment, characterized by a considerable rise in academic mobility and greater opportunities for young people to pursue their studies at European universities, alongside intensifying competition within the higher education services market of the Republic of Moldova. In light of the above, it becomes increasingly important to adopt a new approach to the way higher education institutions conceptualize and carry out their activities, one grounded in the principles of the modern marketing concept. Marketing orientation and market orientation are becoming indispensable for universities in the Republic of Moldova in order to adapt to new social, economic, and educational realities, particularly in the context of increasingly intense competition at both national and international levels. The effective integration of marketing into managerial activity can contribute to enhancing institutional attractiveness, strengthening university image, and improving relationships with students as well as with social and economic partners. At the same time, a considerable share of marketing efforts is directed towards improving student recruitment activities, with universities seeking to become the preferred choice of prospective students. This issue is becoming increasingly relevant and of major importance to universities and, consequently, substantiates the significance of the present research.