The Importance of a University Identity for Students and Alumni: The Case of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa

Abstract

The identity of a university (logo/emblem) is something that the members (students, alumni, staff, donors) have accepted as the image of the institution. At the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), South Africa, identity building is a strategic effort from management, but uncertainty about the success thereof, exists. The aim with this study was to determine the perceptions of senior students at CPUT on the university’s efforts to build identity. In this quantitative study it was found that the students are not convinced that the efforts of the university to build a successful identity, are fruitful; that efforts by CPUT in respect of creating an emblem/ logo, were not noticeable; that CPUT’s brand is not well developed; that not all students or alumni are proud to wear CPUT clothing in public; that efforts where CPUT constantly boosts its emblem/logo in the media, are not known by students; and that students are shy to wear clothing when on holiday (away from campus), over weekends, or after work or after classes (when socializing somewhere at clubs, for example), with CPUT’s emblem/ logo on it. The study highlighted that the efforts of building an identity for CPUT are not successful and should be rethought.