impact of ESG integration in marketing activities on high school students' choice of higher education institutions in Northern Vietnam

Abstract

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) has become an increasingly important strategic framework for higher education institutions seeking to strengthen sustainability, institutional reputation, and stakeholder engagement. This study investigates the impact of ESG integration in university marketing activities on high school students' choice of higher education institutions in Northern Vietnam. A quantitative research design was employed using a structured questionnaire administered to 300 Grade 12 students. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Cronbach's Alpha, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), and multiple linear regression with IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0. The findings demonstrate that all three ESG dimensions significantly and positively influence students' university choice. Among them, Social Integration exerts the strongest effect, followed by Governance Integration and Environmental Integration. The results suggest that prospective students increasingly value universities that communicate authentic commitments to social responsibility, transparent governance, and environmental sustainability. This study contributes to the growing literature on ESG and higher education marketing by providing empirical evidence from Vietnam and highlights ESG-oriented marketing as an effective strategy for enhancing institutional attractiveness and strengthening student recruitment.