Corporate image perception in universities: An ampric research on the image of Sakarya University

The concept of corporate image, which is defined as the perception formed in the minds of individuals regarding an organization, is important to the survival of companies. Corporate image encompasses a wide range from security personnel to senior employees, from the packaging and color of the product or service, offered to the consumer, to communication activities. Corporate image, which is formed by the combination of many elements, helps the organization to continue its existence in the competitive environment and to increase its preferability. Therefore, corporate image studies that are carried out consciously will undoubtedly ensure organizations are preferred by revealing their differences from their competitors. Thus, it is possible for universities, whose number is increasing day by day, to maintain their existence by having a positive image. The main purpose of the study is to reveal how the corporate image of Sakarya University is perceived by its students and what are the important factors in the formation of a corporate image. An in-depth interview and questionnaire technique was used in the study. A questionnaire was applied to 650 students selected by purposeful sampling technique. According to the data obtained as a result of the research, the institutional image of the university is at a medium level according to Sakarya University students. Therefore, Sakarya University should care more attention to corporate image studies. Also, the factors determining the corporate image of Sakarya University are; corporate quality, social-cultural activities, social responsibility, corporate communication, and corporate identity for students. Additionally, there are differences according to various demographic characteristics of the participants in the evaluation of the corporate image of Sakarya University.