Based on the analysis of the marketing experience of the Russian higher education system, the article describes the general principles and clarifies the place of branding technologies in the university management system in the context of intense competition in the educational services market. The results of the research are presented, summarizing the experience of marketing and brand promotion of more than 15 large and medium-sized Russian universities. The practical significance of the study lies in the proposal to introduce the management function into the system of university branding