Abstract
The article presents a corpus-based comparative analysis of the institutional identity of prominent universities in the USA and China, as constructed in the language of mission and vision statements. The research examines the mission and vision texts of 15 American and 15 Chinese universities ranked among the top 300 in the QS World University Rankings 2025. The methodology includes keyword analysis, focusing on statistically significant terms within the corpus, as well as their collocations and contexts. The study was performed using the Sketch Engine corpus manager. The analysis discerned lexical dominants that correlate with the qualitative characteristics and value priorities of the university identities. The comparative analysis revealed similarities and differences in the representation of institutional identity. The findings indicate that American university missions and visions emphasize community building, civic engagement, diversity, and inclusion. In contrast, Chinese university mission and vision statements prioritize global recognition, innovation, and national progress. The study confirms that university identity evolves in response to sociocultural and political trends. The results provide a foundation for further exploration of linguistic mechanisms that shape university reputation and for developing strategies to enhance the successful positioning of Kazakhstani universities in the context of global educational competition.