Internationalizing Higher Education, Nation Branding, and Geopolitical Anomalies: Scotland and Northern Cyprus in Perspective

This chapter examines nation branding practices within “geopolitical anomalies”, focusing specifically on higher education branding in Scotla”nd and Northern Cyprus. Both regions, with their unique political contexts, Scotland as a minority nation within the UK and Northern Cyprus as a self-declared state with limited recognition, use higher education branding to project legitimacy and increase international visibility. Through a critical analysis of policy documents, political discussions, and international student recruitment campaigns, the chapter explores how these entities navigate struggles over recognition and sovereignty, while also leveraging higher education as a diplomatic tool. Findings highlight the complex relationship between branding, legitimacy, and political recognition in non-sovereign territories. The chapter also identifies a declared attachment to Europe in higher education branding efforts shedding light on its significance as a third space for geopolitical anomalies to strengthen their legitimacy.