Abstract
This study examines the websites of the national higher education (HE) brands of Study in Korea, Study in India and Study in Israel, exploring how these ‘offbeat’ destinations position themselves in the global HE market. Drawing on rhetorical analysis and employing a qualitative comparative case study approach, it reveals the key identity markers and rhetorical strategies employed in each campaign, considering temporal shifts. While these brands share some standardised elements, we suggest that these formats are deployed for different strategic reasons and articulated through varying rhetorical appeals, which may shift over time. We argue that for ‘offbeat’ destinations, nation branding in HE is more than a technocratic marketing tool to exploit niches in a highly competitive, multipolar global HE landscape; it is also a reflection of how states conceptualise their role therein and the value they attribute to international students in advancing national goals.