Abstract
In Ghana’s increasingly competitive higher education sector, universities, particularly private institutions, are challenged to differentiate themselves to attract students. Even though product positioning is strategically important in shaping consumer choices, little is known about how it influences students' attitudes towards choosing a university, particularly when the corporate identity of the institution acts as a moderator. This study examines, using corporate identity as a moderating factor, how product positioning affects students' attitudes towards selecting a Ghanaian university. The purposive sampling technique was used to select 500 tertiary students from different universities as part of an explanatory and descriptive research design and structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data. The results show that university attributes such as lecturer quality, lecture halls, tuition fees, library facilities, and institutional reputation are key elements of positioning strategy. Product positioning was found to significantly and positively influence students’ attitudes, while corporate identity strengthened this relationship. The results indicate that universities can enhance their appeal by ensuring potential students have a clear understanding of academic offerings and by aligning corporate identity with institutional image. To increase student attraction and retention, Ghanaian higher education institutions should adopt consistent and distinctive positioning strategies supported by a cohesive corporate identity.