YouTube as a Tool for Shaping the Image of a Higher Education Institution: Theoretical Aspects and Practical Experience of the ‘NUBiP.inside’ Channel
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17721/2522-1272.2026.88.13Keywords:
YouTube channel, image of higher education institution, digital media, content marketing, NUBiP.insideAbstract
The purpose of the article is to consider the theoretical principles and practice of using YouTube as a tool for shaping the image of a higher education institution using the example of domestic and foreign universities, and to reveal the example of the YouTube channel NUBiP.inside of the National University of Life Resources and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine (NUBiP of Ukraine) as a positive experience of using this tool in the communication strategy for shaping the image of the university. This article examines the theoretical foundations and practical application of YouTube as an image-building tool for higher education institutions (HEIs). The core hypothesis is that a systematic video communication strategy on YouTube positively affects university image formation and target audience engagement. Participants. The study explored the official YouTube channels of five Ukrainian HEIs (NaUKMA, Igor Sikorsky KPI, V. N. Karazin KhNU, Taras Shevchenko KNU, UCU) and four leading international universities (Harvard, Stanford, Oxford, Wageningen), as well as the NUBiP.inside channel of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine. Research Method. A comparative analysis of secondary data was applied, drawing on uniRank rankings (2025–2026), YouTube Analytics data for the NUBiP.inside channel as of January 2026, and a review of scholarly literature. Evaluation criteria included subscriber counts, total views, number of videos, publication frequency, content format diversity, and audience engagement metrics. Results. A substantial gap was identified between Ukrainian and international universities: leading foreign HEIs publish 2–5 videos per week across 5–7 formats, while Ukrainian universities average 1–3 videos per month in 2–3 formats. The NUBiP.inside channel recorded 215% subscriber growth in 2025, a 78,1% share of new viewers, and 98491 total views since its launch. Conclusions. YouTube is a strategically significant tool for university communication, combining rational and emotional image components. The NUBiP.inside experience can serve as a replicable model for other Ukrainian HEIs seeking to strengthen their competitive position through digital platforms.
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