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Journals / Yükseköğretim Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 16 Sayı: 2

The Mediating Role of Academic Motivation in the Relationship Between Universities’ Corporate Brand Image and University Belongingness

Üniversitelerin Kurumsal Marka İmajı ve Üniversite Aidiyeti İlişkisinde Akademik Motivasyonun Aracı Rolü

Hazal Duman Alptekin(KTO KARATAY ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0001-8893-4622
Nihan Tomris Küçün(KTO KARATAY UNIVERSITY)0000-0001-5548-6093
Pages
11–24
Publication Date
2026-08-31
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

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⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Results: The findings revealed that corporate brand image had a positive and significant effect on both academic motivation and university belongingness.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the mediating role of academic motivation in the relationship between universities’ corporate brand image and students’ university belongingness.
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Key Findings & Data:Within this scope, the effect of corporate brand image on students’ university belongingness and the mediating role of academic motivation in this relationship were investigated.
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Conclusion & Impact:Results: The findings revealed that corporate brand image had a positive and significant effect on both academic motivation and university belongingness.
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:2023–2024 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Kurumsal Marka İmajı · Üniversite Aidiyeti · Akademik Motivasyon

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the mediating role of academic motivation in the relationship between universities’ corporate brand image and students’ university belongingness. Within this scope, the effect of corporate brand image on students’ university belongingness and the mediating role of academic motivation in this relationship were investigated. Method: This study was conducted using a relational survey design. The sample consisted of 618 undergraduate students enrolled in formal higher education institutions in Türkiye. Data were collected through an online survey during the 2023–2024 Fall semester using scales measuring academic motivation, corporate brand image, and university belongingness. The data were analyzed using SPSS 26 and PROCESS Macro. The mediating effect was tested using the bootstrap method (5,000 resamples) based on the Baron and Kenny approach. Results: The findings revealed that corporate brand image had a positive and significant effect on both academic motivation and university belongingness. In addition, academic motivation was found to have a positive and significant effect on university belongingness. The mediation analysis further indicated that academic motivation partially mediated the relationship between corporate brand image and university belongingness. Conclusion and Recommendations: The findings indicate that a strong corporate brand image enhances students’ university belongingness by increasing their academic motivation. Accordingly, universities are recommended to develop practices that strengthen their corporate brand image while supporting students’ academic motivation. Furthermore, future research should include comparative studies across different types of higher education institutions and employ longitudinal research designs to contribute to the existing literature.

Özet

Amaç: Bu araştırmanın amacı, üniversitelerin kurumsal marka imajı ile öğrencilerin üniversite aidiyeti arasındaki ilişkide akademik motivasyonun aracı rolünü incelemektir. Bu kapsamda, kurumsal marka imajının öğrencilerin üniversite aidiyeti üzerindeki etkisi ile akademik motivasyonun bu ilişkideki aracılık rolü değerlendirilmiştir. Yöntem: Araştırma ilişkisel tarama modeli kapsamında gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırmanın örneklemini Türkiye’de örgün lisans eğitimine devam eden 618 üniversite öğrencisi oluşturmaktadır. Veriler, 2023–2024 güz döneminde çevrim içi anket yöntemiyle toplanmış; akademik motivasyon, kurumsal marka imajı ve üniversite aidiyeti ölçekleri kullanılmıştır. Veriler SPSS 26 ve PROCESS Macro ile analiz edilmiş; aracılık etkisi Baron ve Kenny yaklaşımı doğrultusunda bootstrap (5000 örnekleme) yöntemi kullanılarak test edilmiştir. Bulgular: Analiz sonuçları, kurumsal marka imajının akademik motivasyon ve üniversite aidiyeti üzerinde pozitif ve anlamlı etkiye sahip olduğunu göstermektedir. Ayrıca akademik motivasyonun üniversite aidiyetini pozitif ve anlamlı biçimde etkilediği belirlenmiştir. Aracılık analizleri sonucunda akademik motivasyonun, kurumsal marka imajı ile üniversite aidiyeti arasındaki ilişkide kısmi aracılık rolü üstlendiği tespit edilmiştir. Sonuç ve Öneriler: Araştırma sonuçları, güçlü bir kurumsal marka imajının öğrencilerin akademik motivasyonlarını artırarak üniversite aidiyetlerini güçlendirdiğini göstermektedir. Bu doğrultuda üniversitelerin marka imajını güçlendirmeye ve öğrencilerin akademik motivasyonunu desteklemeye yönelik uygulamalar geliştirmeleri önerilmektedir. Ayrıca farklı üniversite türlerini kapsayan karşılaştırmalı ve boylamsal araştırmaların gerçekleştirilmesinin ilgili literatüre katkı sağlayacağı değerlendirilmektedir.

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Cite This Article

Alptekin, H. D., Küçün, N. T. (2026). The Mediating Role of Academic Motivation in the Relationship Between Universities’ Corporate Brand Image and University Belongingness. Yükseköğretim Dergisi, Cilt: 16 Sayı: 2, 11–24. https://doi.org/10.53478/yuksekogretim.1623848

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