Abstract
This study investigates the relationship between brand positioning, strategic positioning, and internationalization in a private higher educational institution in Jiangxi, China. Adopting a descriptive-correlational research design, data were collected through a validated questionnaire administered to 179 purposively selected internal and external stakeholders, including department heads, deans, and high-ranking alumni. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including Pearson correlation analysis, were employed to examine the association among functional, symbolic, experiential, and competitive brand positioning dimensions; strategic positioning indicators such as national ranking and competitive advantage; and internationalization outcomes measured by collaboration and scope. Results reveal that stakeholders perceive the institution's brand and strategic positioning positively, with significant correlations found between all brand and strategic dimensions and internationalization indicators (p < .001). Competitive and experiential positioning demonstrated the strongest associations with international collaboration and scope. The findings emphasize the importance of stakeholder-informed strategies to enhance institutional identity, global visibility, and engagement. This research contributes to the discourse on higher education competitiveness by integrating branding and internationalization through a stakeholder-based framework, offering practical implications for institutional leaders in non-Western academic contexts.
