A Hermeneutics of Student Reception for University Branding: Metaphorically Inscribed Underwriting Themes (MINUTES) of the Research Meetings
List of Authors
Michael Tiong Hock Bing, Tony Wilson
Keyword
University Branding; Hermeneutics; Phronesis; Student Perception; Malaysia
Abstract
This study explores how prospective university students interpret and internalise institutional branding messages through a hermeneutic framework grounded in the philosophies of Gadamer (1975), Heidegger (1962), and Ricoeur (1981). Employing Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) insights herein, the research involved twenty members—SPM school leavers and recent graduates in Sarawak—who viewed university branding videos from three Malaysian institutions. The analysis progressed from seven Hermeneutic Philosophy's fundamental interpretative concepts, the Metaphorically Inscribed Underwriting Themes (MINUTES), to identifying corresponding themes in the expressions of the research group. In concrete terms, these metaphorically engaging research group expressions (MERGES) are signalled by PENS, participant existential narratives, grounding interpretation in lived experience. Here, the MINUTES capture participant expressions of phronesis (practical wisdom), emotional attunement, identity formation, and value-driven decision-making. The analysis reveals that student reception is shaped not only by visual and narrative cues but also by how these resonate with their sense of belonging, social imagination, and local realities. By foregrounding the interpretative nature of student meaning-making, this study makes a nuanced contribution to university branding, consumer psychology, and qualitative education research, advocating for ethical, culturally sensitive, and student-centred marketing strategies.