| Abstract [eng] |
Every organization has an image of its own. Today, in the competitive environment, it is not enough just to make a product or to provide a service. The success of any organization, firm, company depends primarily on the image it has built. Increased competition made it imperative for the Higher education institution to make itself visible to the public, that is why every institution has to find its ways to do that in the best way. Higher education institutions have to allocate more time to development of the public relations if they want to have a positive public opinion and a favourable image. Only complex information makes it possible for the consumer to choose. The topic of image building and development is very popular abroad – there are many articles on the issue. However, this topic is quite new in Lithuania. One can find publications on the business organization image but there are few on the image building of a higher education institution. Lithuanian organizations and higher education institutions have limited experience in image management. Moreover, the representatives of these institutions are even not concerned with the issue. The object of this research paper is Lithuanian higher education institutions. The aim of the paper is to identify the most efective Lithuanian higher education image building means based on the research results from the image building strategies. To achieve this aim the following tasks have been formulated: 1. To present a general concept of image and its building models; 2. To define the concept of the higher education; 3. To determine the models that could be used to build higher education institution image. The theotetical part analyses the concept and the meaning of the organization image and presents the generalized understanding of the concept “image”. It also explores the image builging methodologies as presented by the local and foreign authors. The image building and image management strategies that can be successfully imployed by the educational organizations are analysed. The second part deals with the higher education. The analysis of the aims, purposes, systems, types of higher education instututions in Lithuania, state and private, university and non-university sector higher education institutions are the topic in this part. This chapter also overviews the higher education image building theory. The higher education institutions analysed in the paper are well known in Lithuania and abroad. Although the institutions do not experience the lack of the institution awareness, the problem of image monitoring, management and control system still exist. Such a system would contribute to build a desirable higher education image among the different contact audiences. This research paper is up to date and could be used by higher education institutions, who care about the image building. It can also serve as a theorethical background and as a practical application since the practice of four higher education institutions is analysed. The theorethical part of the work might also serve Public Relations and academic society. |
