Higher education institutions are important and valued societal institutions, but are at the same time regularly criticised by their stakeholders. Intern to the organisation, staff members are sometimes critical towards the policies developed and students sometimes question the quality of their courses and programmes. Likely more important is the criticism that stems from external stakeholders. This project - situated in the literature on organisational identity and image - focuses on the question how higher edcuation institutions through oral or written messages position themselves in relation to questions and criticism from society. By analysing texts and discourse analyses, this research intends to contribute to a better understanding of the institutional legitimacy of higher education.