ISSN: 2222-6990
Open access
The intensification of competition in higher education has heightened the strategic importance of brand communication in shaping enrolment performance, particularly in digitally mediated and adult-learning contexts. This focused literature review synthesizes prior research on enrolment performance in higher education regional institutions. The review of this study examines how enrollment as performance outcomes of higher education institution. The analysis reveals a clear evolution of enrolment performance from a narrow quantitative indicator to a multidimensional construct encompassing conversion effectiveness, cost efficiency, learner–institution fit, and sustainability. However, significant gaps persist in operationalizing enrolment performance, linking brand communication to intermediate digital metrics such as conversion rates, and incorporating adult learner perspectives in less-developed regions. By consolidating fragmented findings across disciplines, this review clarifies the conceptual and practical perspective of enrolment performance and identifies directions for future empirical research. The study contributes to higher education marketing scholarship by advancing a more integrated understanding that can support sustainable enrolment outcomes in competitive and resource-constrained environments.
Abdelhadi, A., Zainudin, S., & Sani, N. S. (2022). A regression model to predict key performance indicators in higher education enrollments. International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, 13(1).
Batool, S. M., & Liu, Z. (2021). Exploring the relationships between socio-economic indicators and student enrollment in higher education institutions of Pakistan. Plos one, 16(12), e0261577.
Buvaneswari, P., Rajasekar, P., Ram, P., Shaikh, M. J., & Deshpande, A. P. (2025). Influence of institutional branding on student enrolment decisions. Journal of Informatics Education and Research, 5(4), 1146-1155.
Chaffey, D., & Ellis-Chadwick, F. (2019). Digital marketing (7th ed.). Pearson.
Chapleo, C. (2015). Brands in higher education: Challenges and potential strategies. International Studies of Management & Organization, 45(2), 150–163.
Duncan, T. (2002). IMC: Using advertising and promotion to build brands. McGraw-Hill.
Fahrudin, T., Asror, I., & Wibowo, Y. F. A. (2023, December). Student Enrollment Performance of Telkom Schools in 23/24 schoolyear using k-Means Clustering. In 2023 Eighth International Conference on Informatics and Computing (ICIC) (pp. 1-5). IEEE.
Hemsley-Brown, J., & Oplatka, I. (2015). University choice: What do we know? International Journal of Educational Management, 29(3), 254–274.
Hill, F., Lomas, L., & MacGregor, J. (2023a). The impact of institutional reputation and perceived value on student enrollment decisions. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 33(2), 155–176.
Huang, X., & Xu, M. (2023a). Digital branding strategies and student decision-making in Chinese higher education. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 45(2), 150–168.
Huang, R., & Xu, W. (2023b). Social media strategies and digital engagement in Chinese higher education marketing. Asia Pacific Education Review, 24(3), 421–438.
Jung, S. U., & Shegai, V. (2023). The impact of digital marketing innovation on firm performance: Mediation by marketing capability and moderation by firm size. Sustainability, 15(7), 5711.
Kasworm, C. (2003). Adult meaning making in the undergraduate classroom. Adult Education Quarterly, 53(2), 81–98.
Keller, K. L. (2013). Strategic brand management (4th ed.). Pearson.
Li, S., Quan, Y., Xiao, L., Ren, H., & Abinova, A. Y. (2025). Exploring the influence of social media communication and brand image on international student enrollment intentions in higher education. Frontiers in Education, 10, 1618524
Liu, Y., & Chen, X. (2025a). Digital engagement, credibility, and student decision-making. Asia Pacific Education Review, 26(1), 88–104.
Liu, Y., & Chen, X. (2025b). Digital transformation and competitive positioning in China’s private higher education sector. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 35(1), 45–67.
Magasi, C., & Bwemelo, G. S. (2024). Unlocking Students’ Enrolment: A Mixed Methods Study on How Brand Reputation and Perceived Benefits Shape Higher Education Choices in Tanzania. Indonesian Journal of Social Research (IJSR), 6(3), 190-206.
Mante, G. D. K., Kohar, U. H. B. A., & Martey, E. M. (2023). Brand awareness and firm performance: The mediating role of brand love. International Journal of Academic Reserach in Economics and Management Sciences, 12(4).
Maringe, F., & Gibbs, P. (2009). Marketing higher education: Theory and practice. McGraw-Hill/Open University Press.
Merriam, S. B., & Baumgartner, L. M. (2020). Learning in adulthood: A comprehensive guide (4th ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Ministry of Education. (2024, March 2). China has over 47 mln higher-education students in 2023. Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China. http://en.moe.gov.cn/news/media_highlights/202403/t20240304_1118146.html?utm
OECD. (2024). Education at a Glance 2024: OECD indicators. OECD Publishing.
Quílez-Robres, A., Usán, P., Lozano-Blasco, R., & Salavera, C. (2023). Emotional intelligence and academic performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 49, 101355.
Ramchander, M., & Naude, M. J. (2018). The relationship between increasing enrolment and student academic achievement in higher education. Africa Education Review, 15(4), 135-151.
Saunders, B., & Townsend, K. (2023). Conceptualising and assessing thematic saturation within qualitative research. Organizational Research Methods, 26(2), 313–338.
Schiffman, L., & Kanuk, L. (2014). Consumer behavior (11th ed.). Pearson.
UNESCO. (2025, June 23). What you need to know about higher education. https://www.unesco.org/en/higher-education/need-know
van Klaveren, C., Kooiman, K., Cornelisz, I., & Meeter, M. (2019). The higher education enrollment decision: Feedback on expected study success and updating behavior. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 12(1), 67-89.
Wei, G., & Tuntinakhongul, A. (2024b). Developing Adult Vocational Training Strategies for Chinese Higher Education Institutes under the Background of Industrial Revolution 4.0. Pakistan Journal of Life & Social Sciences, 22(2).
Woodall, T., Hiller, A., & Resnick, S. (2012). Making sense of higher education: Students as consumers and the value of the university experience. Studies in Higher Education, 39(1), 1–20.
Yamin, A. B. (2024). Impact of University Branding on Student Enrollment: Market Trends and Strategic Approaches in Private Higher Education. Journal of Fareast International University, 7(1), 49-58.
Yan, L., Swaran Singh, C. K., Junjie, L., Wong, W. L., & Daoyuan, S. (2024). A systematic literature review of university student enrolment from 2020 to 2023. Asian Journal of University Education (AJUE), 20(1), 75-99.
Zhang, H., & Li, M. (2025a). Brand credibility and enrollment competitiveness. Asia Pacific Education Review, 26(2), 220–238.
Zhang, H., & Li, M. (2025b). Brand communication, student trust, and enrollment decision-making. Asia Pacific Education Review, 26(1), 55–72.
Zhang, Y., & Liu, Q. (2025). Program design and learner-centered innovation. China Higher Education Research, 6, 42–58.
Zicheng, H., & Teo, P. C. (2025). Enrolment Performance in Higher Education: A Focused Literature Review. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 15(12), 2814–2822.
Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s)
Published by HRMARS (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode