The aim of the project is to identify, using mixed methods, the image that university cities have among various groups of recipients of a territorial product. Socio-economic changes and the increasing importance of knowledge, and consequently – the influence of academic centers on shaping the potential of places – mean that the academic character of the city, skillfully used and exposed, can not only drive development, but also shape the image and brand of the location.

Hence, the issue raised is important both cognitively and methodologically – due to the way research is conducted in the analyzed area. The research results will allow to present the perception of the academic character of selected Polish cities by selected groups of recipients. In addition, attention was paid to developing a method of measuring image that would allow for achieving methodological synergy by using the strengths of qualitative and quantitative research in one research project.