Karky, Avishek Kumar creator Tyagi, Ruchi Chairperson Junaid, Muhammad Co-chairperson Levermore, Roger Examination Committee Pisut Koomsap Examination Committee AIT Scholarship Scholarship Donor text series technical report th Pathum Thani, Thailand Asian Institute of Technology 2026 continuing eng

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157 leaves : ill.+ 1 online resource The main objective of this study is to examine the effect of university brand awareness, university brand association, university brand perceived quality and student-university brand connection on student-based brand equity (SBBE), and subsequently examine the effect of student-based brand equity on student enrollment decision and student brand loyalty, within the context of higher education (HE). This research enhances the academic understanding of student based brand equity in higher education and explores its implications for management practice. A cross-sectional quantitative survey, using structured questionnaire, was conducted to empirically test the model using Structural Equation Modelling. Using purposive sampling, data was collected from 633 respondents from the four largest universities in Nepal. Smart PLS was used to perform the Partial Least Square {u2013} Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) estimation procedure to examine the six hypotheses developed.Counter-intuitively, university brand awareness was found to have no significant relationship with SBBE, while interestingly, student university brand connection was found to have the highest significant effect. The findings highlighted that university brand association, university brand perceived quality and student university brand connection provided statistically significant contributions to the prediction of SBBE in HE. As for consequences, SBBE provided statistically significant contributions to the prediction of both student enrollment decision and student brand loyalty.This research is one of the very few studies which investigates SBBE in HE, and its findings can guide and direct the formulation of successful marketing and branding policies and strategies for HE. The interplay of numerous factors on SBBE gives marketers of HE direction on where and how to concentrate their efforts to ensure successful outcome.To the best of authors' knowledge, this empirical study represents a novel and groundbreaking approach to the study of SBBE; by including and integrating the dimension of student-university brand connection, a combination previously not explored in the conceptual model of the SBBE in HE studies. And also, this study integrates both the perceptual and behavioral dimension of SBBE in the conceptual model simultaneously, making the study more integrated, holistic and comprehensive.Thus, the conceptual model and hypothesis testing offers strategic value for understanding SBBE, holistically. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Business Administration Thesis (Ph.D.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2026 Education, Higher Nepal Branding (Marketing) Nepal Asian Institute of Technology. http://203.159.5.9/ait-thesis/detail.php?q=B24596 http://203.159.5.9/ait-thesis/detail.php?q=B24596 260625 20260817162748.0