Navigating diverse demands: mission and vision statements of top-ranked European higher education institutions.
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| Title: | Navigating diverse demands: mission and vision statements of top-ranked European higher education institutions. |
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| Authors: | Tamássy, Réka1 (AUTHOR) tamassy.reka@uni-bge.hu, Géring, Zsuzsanna1 (AUTHOR), Harmat, Vanda1,2 (AUTHOR), Knúlné Pál, Eszter1 (AUTHOR), Rakovics, Márton3 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Studies in Higher Education. Jun2026, Vol. 51 Issue 6, p1354-1374. 21p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Mission statements, *Universities & colleges, *University rankings, *Content analysis, Vision statements, Stakeholder theory, Organizational identification |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates how highly ranked European higher education institutions (HEIs) interpret their social roles and construct institutional identities through their mission and vision statements. By doing so, we gain insights into how HEIs construct the meaning and goals of higher education and respond to the diverse and ever-changing demands of stakeholders, including academic staff, society, and students. To address these questions, we conducted content and cluster analysis on the mission and vision statements of the European HEIs listed among the top 200 in the Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2023, identifying four HEI profiles: progressives, inward-focused, socially embedded, and new managerialists. Although the profiles display relative differences in institutional attributes such as age, ranking, and funding type, they reveal significant content-based differences regarding their primary stakeholders (society, students, and academic staff) and associated social roles. The academic significance of this study lies in its continental-level analysis, examining the similarities and differences of mission and vision statements beyond national-level specificities in a research area typically focused on national-level analyses. Moreover, it connects typically separate research focuses by examining the content of mission and vision statements in detail while also considering institutional characteristics, providing a nuanced picture of European HEIs' mission and vision statements and emphasising the content-based characteristics decisive in constructing identity narratives. Concerning practical implications, our study offers a broader repertoire of HEI self-definition for decision-makers, highlighting opportunities for HEIs to emphasise their belonging to or distance themselves from particular profiles based on their characteristics and social roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Studies in Higher Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 194222919 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Navigating diverse demands: mission and vision statements of top-ranked European higher education institutions. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tamássy%2C+Réka%22">Tamássy, Réka</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> tamassy.reka@uni-bge.hu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Géring%2C+Zsuzsanna%22">Géring, Zsuzsanna</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Harmat%2C+Vanda%22">Harmat, Vanda</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Knúlné+Pál%2C+Eszter%22">Knúlné Pál, Eszter</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rakovics%2C+Márton%22">Rakovics, Márton</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Studies+in+Higher+Education%22">Studies in Higher Education</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 51 Issue 6, p1354-1374. 21p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mission+statements%22">Mission statements</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Universities+%26+colleges%22">Universities & colleges</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22University+rankings%22">University rankings</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Content+analysis%22">Content analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vision+statements%22">Vision statements</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Stakeholder+theory%22">Stakeholder theory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Organizational+identification%22">Organizational identification</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: This paper investigates how highly ranked European higher education institutions (HEIs) interpret their social roles and construct institutional identities through their mission and vision statements. By doing so, we gain insights into how HEIs construct the meaning and goals of higher education and respond to the diverse and ever-changing demands of stakeholders, including academic staff, society, and students. To address these questions, we conducted content and cluster analysis on the mission and vision statements of the European HEIs listed among the top 200 in the Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2023, identifying four HEI profiles: progressives, inward-focused, socially embedded, and new managerialists. Although the profiles display relative differences in institutional attributes such as age, ranking, and funding type, they reveal significant content-based differences regarding their primary stakeholders (society, students, and academic staff) and associated social roles. The academic significance of this study lies in its continental-level analysis, examining the similarities and differences of mission and vision statements beyond national-level specificities in a research area typically focused on national-level analyses. Moreover, it connects typically separate research focuses by examining the content of mission and vision statements in detail while also considering institutional characteristics, providing a nuanced picture of European HEIs' mission and vision statements and emphasising the content-based characteristics decisive in constructing identity narratives. Concerning practical implications, our study offers a broader repertoire of HEI self-definition for decision-makers, highlighting opportunities for HEIs to emphasise their belonging to or distance themselves from particular profiles based on their characteristics and social roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Studies in Higher Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1080/03075079.2025.2511817 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 21 StartPage: 1354 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Mission statements Type: general – SubjectFull: Universities & colleges Type: general – SubjectFull: University rankings Type: general – SubjectFull: Content analysis Type: general – SubjectFull: Vision statements Type: general – SubjectFull: Stakeholder theory Type: general – SubjectFull: Organizational identification Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Navigating diverse demands: mission and vision statements of top-ranked European higher education institutions. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Tamássy, Réka – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Géring, Zsuzsanna – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Harmat, Vanda – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Knúlné Pál, Eszter – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Rakovics, Márton IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 06 Text: Jun2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 03075079 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 51 – Type: issue Value: 6 Titles: – TitleFull: Studies in Higher Education Type: main |
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