A tool for identifying drivers impacting students’ career aspirations

University identity, defined by students’ sense of belonging to their respective higher institutions, serves as a form of social identification enabling students to boost their self-concept or self-image through affiliation with the alma mater. Considering the paradigm shift of students as customers and higher institutions as service providers, university identity offers a promising avenue for exploring how branding influence students’ confidence and career aspirations. This study explores factors, beyond brand identity, impacting on students’ perception to reach their educational goals. In this work, a scale was developed and evaluated; its psychometric properties assessed initially on a pilot sample, followed by a validation on a larger sample and via bootstrap samples for model robustness. By delving into these factors, this research provides insights into areas where institutions can enhance support for student success and well-being, particularly through innovative teaching methods.