ABSTRACT
The perception of African universities has changed drastically in contemporary times, particularly with the globalised and highly competitive nature of the university environment. Therefore, there is an urgent need to change the downward trend by beginning to see universities as a brand. A combination informs the expediency of branding by universities of economic and social debilitating factors which affects their perception and patronage. To ensure an institution stands out, it needs to focus on what exactly makes it unique by identifying the exact strength of the institution and build a brand identity around that. A properly constructed brand is essential for any university competing in the contemporary education market. This contribution identifies ways universities can adopt and deploy branding to improve many of their institutions. This is because, like all other brands in the market, universities should also strive to earn high equity by working towards delivering on their brand promises. It is hoped that this contribution will be a starting point to stimulate further research and discussion on presenting African universities as a brand.
