TITLE:
Decision Making in International Tertiary Education: The Role of National Image
AUTHORS:
Jing Cai, Theresa Loo
KEYWORDS:
Country of Origin, International Tertiary Education, Nation Brand, National Image, National Reputation, Place Brand
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Journalism and Communication,
Vol.2 No.3,
September
26,
2014
ABSTRACT: The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of the national image on the image of its tertiary education among non-nationals and on their choice of location for study. We present a conceptual model of how the image of the nation impacts on the image of tertiary education based upon Ajzen & Fishbein’s (1980) “theory of reasoned action”. With data from China & India, a model is developed from a calibration sample and tested against a validation sample using structural equation modelling. The model fits the data well and shows that a national image for Chic (prestigious, refined, elegant) and Enterprise (innovative, cool, trendy) has a positive influence on the beliefs about, attitudes towards and propensity to consume tertiary education offered by the UK. Our work indicates that there will be mileage in investing not just on the image of education itself, but on the image of the nation in the promotion of international tertiary education.