Marketing Strategies and Export Risks of Russian Higher Education in Conditions of Geopolitical Instability

Abstract

The article describes the problem of export promotion of Russian higher education in the context of geopolitical instability. It is assumed that the reasonable use of marketing tools, the development and implementation of a marketing strategy, has a positive impact on the formation of the brand of an educational institution in the international market. The goals outlined in the study require theoretical substantiation and development of recommendations for competitiveness improvement of Russian higher education institutions. The authors analyzed the “client path” in the digital environment, the process of interaction in the Internet of a potential student at the points of contact with the university, as well as the factors affecting the public image of the university, the satisfaction of consumers of educational services in the field of higher professional education. The relevance of this approach is due not only to the digital transformation of the higher education system, but also to the internationalization of educational services. It was found that content marketing and a website are becoming a key success factor in positioning a university in the international market of educational services, starting with the Internet resources and ending with online interaction with potential students. The phenomenon of brand disloyalty is described; the “country effect” and the risks associated with the moral avoidance of Russian universities’ brands by foreign applicants are analyzed. The practical application of strategies for overcoming brand disloyalty is discussed - brand transformation, diversification, avoidance, brand strengthening and reputation restoration. Geographically promising segments for the promotion of higher education are suggested; options for digital marketing and relationship marketing to promote university education, along with the role of corporate culture and multicultural diversity are shown.