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University-Industry Partnerships in the Age of Digital Marketing: Constructing Sustainable Higher Education Brands

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Title: University-Industry Partnerships in the Age of Digital Marketing: Constructing Sustainable Higher Education Brands
Language: English
Authors: Sheng Yuan (ORCID 0000-0001-9865-0615), Yan-Kai Fu (ORCID 0000-0002-6750-5789), Haoran Wei (ORCID 0000-0003-1136-5614), Huijie Zhou (ORCID 0000-0002-5899-5157)
Source: European Journal of Education. 2026 61(2).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 15
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Universities, Industry, School Business Relationship, Partnerships in Education, Advertising, Marketing, Reputation, Foreign Countries, Sustainability, Credibility
Geographic Terms: Asia, Europe
DOI: 10.1111/ejed.70521
ISSN: 0141-8211
1465-3435
Abstract: This study explores how universities and industry partners co-create sustainable brand meanings in the digital environment. Grounded in Brand Co-creation Theory, it conceptualises branding as a relational and participatory process in which multiple actors jointly construct legitimacy and responsibility. Using a digital case study design, the research maps six authentic university-industry collaborations--three in Asia and three in Europe--drawing on publicly available online data including campaign websites, social media posts, press releases, and corporate sustainability reports. Three collaborations are examined as focal cases based on data completeness and representativeness of distinct co-creation logics, while the remaining three provide comparative reference points. The findings reveal three interrelated mechanisms that sustain credibility in digital co-creation: ethical alignment, ensuring coherence between educational and corporate values; relational continuity, maintaining partnerships through iterative engagement over time; and symbolic authenticity, generating 'proof-of-practice'--publicly verifiable traces of concrete actions and outputs that allow audiences to evaluate sustainability claims beyond rhetoric. Across the three focal cases--HKUST × HK Express, University of Leeds × Marks & Spencer, and University of Glasgow × SP Energy Networks--these dimensions manifest respectively as participatory, practical, and institutional forms of collaboration. The study extends Brand Co-creation Theory to the higher-education context and demonstrates that sustainable branding in this sector operates less as market promotion than as mutual legitimacy exchange. Ultimately, it argues that effective university-industry partnerships build visibility through shared responsibility, transforming branding into a communicative practice of sustainability and trust.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1507001
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: University-Industry Partnerships in the Age of Digital Marketing: Constructing Sustainable Higher Education Brands
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sheng+Yuan%22">Sheng Yuan</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9865-0615">0000-0001-9865-0615</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yan-Kai+Fu%22">Yan-Kai Fu</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6750-5789">0000-0002-6750-5789</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Haoran+Wei%22">Haoran Wei</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1136-5614">0000-0003-1136-5614</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Huijie+Zhou%22">Huijie Zhou</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5899-5157">0000-0002-5899-5157</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22European+Journal+of+Education%22"><i>European Journal of Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 61(2).
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 15
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Universities%22">Universities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Industry%22">Industry</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Business+Relationship%22">School Business Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Partnerships+in+Education%22">Partnerships in Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Advertising%22">Advertising</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Marketing%22">Marketing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reputation%22">Reputation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sustainability%22">Sustainability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Credibility%22">Credibility</searchLink>
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  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Asia%22">Asia</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Europe%22">Europe</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
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  Data: 10.1111/ejed.70521
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
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  Data: 0141-8211<br />1465-3435
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: This study explores how universities and industry partners co-create sustainable brand meanings in the digital environment. Grounded in Brand Co-creation Theory, it conceptualises branding as a relational and participatory process in which multiple actors jointly construct legitimacy and responsibility. Using a digital case study design, the research maps six authentic university-industry collaborations--three in Asia and three in Europe--drawing on publicly available online data including campaign websites, social media posts, press releases, and corporate sustainability reports. Three collaborations are examined as focal cases based on data completeness and representativeness of distinct co-creation logics, while the remaining three provide comparative reference points. The findings reveal three interrelated mechanisms that sustain credibility in digital co-creation: ethical alignment, ensuring coherence between educational and corporate values; relational continuity, maintaining partnerships through iterative engagement over time; and symbolic authenticity, generating 'proof-of-practice'--publicly verifiable traces of concrete actions and outputs that allow audiences to evaluate sustainability claims beyond rhetoric. Across the three focal cases--HKUST × HK Express, University of Leeds × Marks & Spencer, and University of Glasgow × SP Energy Networks--these dimensions manifest respectively as participatory, practical, and institutional forms of collaboration. The study extends Brand Co-creation Theory to the higher-education context and demonstrates that sustainable branding in this sector operates less as market promotion than as mutual legitimacy exchange. Ultimately, it argues that effective university-industry partnerships build visibility through shared responsibility, transforming branding into a communicative practice of sustainability and trust.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1507001
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        Value: 10.1111/ejed.70521
    Languages:
      – Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 15
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Universities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Industry
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Business Relationship
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      – SubjectFull: Partnerships in Education
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      – SubjectFull: Advertising
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      – SubjectFull: Marketing
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      – SubjectFull: Reputation
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
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      – SubjectFull: Sustainability
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      – SubjectFull: Credibility
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      – SubjectFull: Asia
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      – SubjectFull: Europe
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      – TitleFull: University-Industry Partnerships in the Age of Digital Marketing: Constructing Sustainable Higher Education Brands
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            NameFull: Yan-Kai Fu
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