Cooperation with the business environment as a factor shaping the university image

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this article is to identify and systematize the mechanisms through which collaboration between universities and the business environment shapes the institutional image. The author attempts to answer the question of which forms of relations with the economic environment most effectively build academic brand equity. Design/methodology/approach: The article is a literature review. It employs the method of critical analysis of literature in the fields of university management, educational marketing, and the concept of the entrepreneurial university. The analysis covers publications indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, and BazEkon databases from 2014 to 2024, allowing for the capture of current dynamics in university image changes in the era of Economy 4.0. An exception was made for fundamental theoretical works which, due to their paradigmatic nature, constitute an essential reference point for contemporary research on the entrepreneurial university. This approach enabled the confrontation of classical theoretical assumptions with the latest scientific considerations regarding prestige transfer and academic brand building. Findings: The study demonstrates that a university's image is shaped by the synergy of three perspectives: resource-based, relational, and institutional. A key mechanism for reputation building is the transfer of prestige. The analysis confirmed the existence of a positive feedback loop: an established reputation facilitates the acquisition of strategic investors, creating a self reinforcing mechanism for market prestige growth. It is through direct interactions between the worlds of science and business that a real transfer of brand value occurs. This emphasizes that a university's image is not merely the result of signed agreements, but a derivative of the quality of developed relationships and trust. Originality/value: The author proposes a model illustrating the impact of science-business collaboration on the university's image. The model assumes that collaboration with business does not automatically translate into a positive image; rather, the quality of the relationship is crucial, with the transfer of brand value being its most significant outcome. Keywords: university image, entrepreneurial university, academic brand equity. Category of the paper: research paper.