Unique Identity/Mission
Institutions of postsecondary education have had stable missions, sometimes dating back to their original founding. By the end of the postwar boom in the mid-1970s, changes in economic, social, and political environments assaulted some of the traditional premises of these institutions.

Rapid and disruptive change has forced universities and colleges to reconsider and reevaluate their traditional values, methods, and purposes. Various external stakeholders and constituencies demand accountability; they want institutions to be clear about their missions and priorities. Constituencies and stakeholders want to know how the university is different from all others and what unique value it provides.

One of the primary issues for institutions of postsecondary education, therefore, is "mission clarification"—being very explicit about the institution's main focus and the distinct value it delivers.

Clarifying the mission and allocating resources to amplify it, helps universities and colleges to define and secure their distinct and valuable position in a very competitive market. When the unique identity is known, branding that identity can be both authentic and easy.