Marketing communication models in Portuguese Public Universities

Abstract

Our investigation discusses the use of marketing communication models in Portuguese public universities, since the 1990s. Through the case study of the University of Minho, we have looked for the correlation between organizational strategies and communication formats. The results suggested that the development of a market oriented approach in these institutions increased the emphasis on identity and communication management. Using these empirical findings and other research data, we have reconstructed the history of communication in Portuguese universities, for the past century. From elite communications models, that have characterised the first half of the 20th century, public universities have changed to marketing communication models in the nineties, and then they have followed integrated marketing communication trends in recent years, with the purpose of controlling all messages and channels according its political strategies. Our study has shown how Portuguese public universities have definitely entered the ‘communication business’.