The purpose of the dissertation is to carry out a sociological conceptualisation of the phenomenon of the press office of a higher education institution and to clarify the peculiarities of its functioning as a tool for positioning a higher education institution in the information space.
The object of research is the process of positioning a university in the information space.
The subject of the study is the university press office as a tool for positioning a higher education institution in the information space.
The following scientific results were obtained as a result of the study:
1. For the first time, the author's approach to the study of social space through the concept of capital is proposed and the author's definition of information space is given as part of social reality, presented in the form of social space, which as aggregate information circulates in a certain territory of distribution, which is formed, limited and structured depending on the status of information actors and the saturation of information resources;
2. For the first time, the author's definition of the concept of university press office as a tool for promoting a higher education institution in the information (social) space, which is able to exert information influence on the state of public consciousness, is proposed. By using this tool correctly, a university can become a powerful social resource that will influence not only the economic, political, cultural and other spheres, but also form a new social and information "agenda". In this context, the role of the university press office as a resource for accumulating the university's information capital, which can be used to influence the positioning of a higher education institution in the economic, social, cultural, symbolic, and educational spaces, is substantiated;
3. For the first time, the theoretical, methodological and conceptual approaches to sociological research of the state of activity and prospects for the development of the university press office are implemented. In this context, a system of indicators and empirical operationalisation of concepts has been developed, which were used to analyse the state and peculiarities of the university press office as a tool for positioning the university in the information space;
4. For the first time, a retrospective and comparative analysis of the formation and development of the press office in the Ukrainian and international contexts is carried out.
5. The theoretical interpretation of the concept of a university press office has been improved by defining its organisational structure and functional potential. The role of the university press office in its positioning in the information space is demonstrated by highlighting not only its explicit but also latent functions, namely: creating a favourable climate for dialogue, supporting the development of a culture of openness and tolerance, increasing the influence and status of the university, supporting the innovative environment, attracting potential students and professionals, strengthening interaction with the public and stakeholders, increasing financial support and funding;
6. Improved analysis of the main technologies and tools of the press office by categorising those that play an important role in ensuring effective communication of the university with different audiences, including students, teachers, media, donors and the public.
7. The ideas about the prospects of the university press office in the context of the information society and the development of the latest information and communication technologies and digital tools were further developed. Approaches to understanding the university's Internet representation, which is becoming a key element of the communication structure of a modern higher education institution, have been developed;
8. The understanding of new risks, catalysts and barriers to the development of the university press office and crisis management in the context of global transformations, especially changes in the communication strategies of higher education institutions in the context of a full-scale information war in Ukraine, has been further developed.
The practical significance of the obtained results lies in the possibility of using them for further empirical studies of the state and development of the university press office as a tool for positioning the university, as well as transformational processes in the field of PR communications of a modern university. The conclusions of the study can contribute to the development and improvement of the legal regulation of the press office of a modern university. Implementation of the scientific and practical model of the developed functional tools of the press office will allow to create basic recommendations for the university management to improve the efficiency of the organisation.
