University Brand as a Modern Way of Winning Competitive Advantage

The Government of the Russian Federation has set a task to increase the competitiveness of the leading Russian universities among the top world research and educational centers. Brand is a key factor which contributes to the increased competitiveness of the higher educational establishment. The article considers the main components of the university brand, the stages of its creation and development, the factors of its successful differentiation. The university brand value consists in the fact that if once created, and then rebranded, it benefits the university, building its competitive advantage and making profit by maintaining the loyalty of the target audience. The article also suggests the options for the project of university branding.