Public relations represents one of the most important communication channels and mediators between institutions or organizations, and their public. In terms of higher education institutions, public relations play a significant role in establishing and maintaining communication with different publics. They also contribute to creating a positive image of the institution and its brand. Students are the most numbered public of a higher education institution and the purpose of this thesis is to investigate students' views on the role of public relations in a higher education institution. The theoretical framework consists of defining public relations as a communication channel, the same as public relations in higher education institutions, with an emphasis on their role in building the image and brand of the mentioned institutions. Primary research was conducted using the survey method of one of the higher education institutions in the Republic of Croatia. The research part of the paper is based on examining the respondents' views on the work of public relations of higher education institutions, and data analysis was conducted using the correlation and linear regression method. The obtained results indicate that public relations in a higher education institution play a significant role in creating and shaping the recognition and brand of the higher education institution, and at the same time serve as a tool for creating student loyalty.