THE IMAGE OF THE KEMEROVO STATE UNIVERSITY AS VIEWED BY THE ACADEMIC STAFF

The image of the organization is its most important characteristic and success factor. In a highly competitive environment, modern universities seek to form and maintain a positive image. Consequently, a study of various aspects of its image helps to identify some reputational problems and to find ways to solve them. The aim of the current paper is to analyze the attitude of Kemerovo State University academic personnel to various characteristics, elements and factors of the university image. An analysis of various approaches to the interpretation of the image allows the authors to propose their own definition of the “university image” notion and to justify the use of sociological methods in its study. The research conducted at the Kemerovo State University has shown that the teaching staff see the following factors as significant for a positive image formation: high qualification of the academic staff, successful employment of the graduates, and good facilities and resources. The actual characteristics of their institution were grouped in integrated indicators; they were later compared with their ideas of a positive image, which allowed the respondents to rank them. The "image of the academic staff" appeared to be most consistent parameter, followed by "the image of the provided educational services" and "the image of the university site" (with equal values). "The image of administration» ranked fourth, and “the image of students" completed the list. The conducted research has made it possible not only to determine the university's assessments of various aspects of the image, but also to focus on those problems, whose solution will improve the university image.