Eco-credibility and green university branding in Saudi higher education: A critical multimodal study of Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz university's online sustainability communication
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Abstract
This article critically examines eco-credibility in Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University's online sustainability communication, with attention to green university branding in Saudi higher education. Using multimodal discourse analysis, the article studies how official PSAU pages and related institutional news construct sustainability through green-campus imagery, quantified environmental claims, national-policy alignment, digital transformation, research and innovation, SDG/ESG governance, and impact ranking narratives. The article argues that PSAU's green brand is most credible when it combines symbolic visibility with measurable evidence and accountable governance. It is less persuasive when environmental claims are dispersed, methodologically under-explained, or dependent on promotional language without clear baselines. The analysis identifies a credibility chain made of five links: claim, evidence, method, accountability, and dialogue. If any link is weak, audiences may interpret sustainability communication as reputation management rather than evidence-based institutional responsibility. The article proposes practical anti-greenwashing safeguards for Saudi universities, including methodological notes, open indicator dashboards, evidence taxonomies, stakeholder participation, annual progress archives, and clearer distinction between environmental performance, SDG recognition, digital capacity, and institutional reputation.
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