Does higher education service quality effect student satisfaction, image and loyalty?. A study of international students in Malaysian public universities
| Published date | 01 February 2016 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-02-2014-0008 |
| Date | 01 February 2016 |
| Pages | 70-94 |
| Author | Faizan Ali,Yuan Zhou,Kashif Hussain,Pradeep Kumar Nair,Neethiahnanthan Ari Ragavan |
| Subject Matter | Education,Curriculum, instruction & assessment,Educational evaluation/assessment |
Does higher education service
quality effect student
satisfaction, image and loyalty?
A study of international students in
Malaysian public universities
Faizan Ali
International Business School,
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Yuan Zhou
School of Foreign Language and Culture,
Beifang University of Nationalities, Yinchuan, China
Kashif Hussain
School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts,
Taylor’s University, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
Pradeep Kumar Nair
Taylor’s University, Subang Jaya, Malaysia, and
Neethiahnanthan Ari Ragavan
School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts,
Taylor’s University, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of Malaysian public universities’
service quality on international student satisfaction, institutional image and loyalty.
Design/methodology/approach – A total number of 400 questionnaires were distributed to
international students, selected using convenience sampling technique, at three public Malaysian
university campuses in Kuala Lumpur. Of this, 241 were deemed t for analysis (60 per cent response
rate). Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling was used to analyze the collected data, assess
the model and test hypotheses.
Findings – The ndings show that all the ve dimensions of higher education service quality
inuence student satisfaction which in turn inuences institutional image, and together, they inuence
student loyalty.
Research limitations/implications – There are a number of limitations associated with this
study. First, the ndings of the study are based on data from international students at only three
Malaysian public university campuses. Second, this study focuses on a relatively small sample of
international students. Besides, this study uses HEdPERF to assess higher education service
quality which might exclude some factors that may inuence international student satisfaction. On
the other hand, it highlights a number of implications for the management of Malaysian
universities.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
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QAE
24,1
70
Received 22 February 2014
Revised 8 July 2014
7 December 2014
Accepted 5 February 2015
QualityAssurance in Education
Vol.24 No. 1, 2016
pp.70-94
©Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0968-4883
DOI 10.1108/QAE-02-2014-0008
Originality/value – This study validates the HEdPERF scale in the context of Malaysian public
universities with regard to the perceptions of international students. Furthermore, this study extends
the HEdPERF scale and examines its effects on student satisfaction, institutional image and loyalty.
Keywords Malaysia, Image, Student satisfaction, Higher education, Service quality,
Student loyalty
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Organizations, irrespective of their industry, focus on the quality of services provided
because of its integral role in developing competitive advantage and in attracting new
and retaining existing customers (Ugboma et al., 2007). Similarly, within the higher
education context, provision of quality services is one of the most important priorities
of educational institutes around the world (Trivellas and Geraki, 2008). The higher
education sector is playing an increasingly important role in developing the economy of
many nations, and Malaysia is no exception. Internationalization of the higher education
sector is a top priority for the Malaysian Government, whereby education has been
identied as one of the National Key Economic Areas and Malaysia is trying to position
itself as a stable, safe and relatively cheap place for overseas students to study (Ministry
of Higher Education, 2011). According to a report published on the Study Malaysia Web
site (The Malaysian Higher Education System, 2013), there is ongoing effort to improve
the world ranking of Malaysian universities and to achieve 150,000 international
students by the year 2015. The international student market is essential to the
Malaysian economy, and the government is committed to offering quality and certitude
in teaching and learning. A report published by the Ministry of Higher Education
Malaysia in 2011 stated that by the end of 2010, there were more than 70,000 foreign
students out of a total of 450,531 registered students in Malaysian universities. By the
end of 2010, Malaysia was the 11th largest exporter of educational services, with more
than 90,000 students from over 100 countries studying at its schools, colleges and
universities (The Malaysian Higher Education System, 2013). These numbers of
international students – now consisting mainly of students from East Asia (China,
Korea, Indonesia), South Asia (Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan), West Asia or the
Middle East (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Yemen), Africa (Kenya, Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania) and
the Eastern European block – have more than doubled in the past ve years (Ministry of
Higher Education, 2011).
It has been rightly pointed out that analyzing students’ perceptions of service quality
with a marketing approach may assist in attracting and retaining students (Sultan and
Wong, 2013). According to Levy et al. (2003), international students grew up in a
different environment and are slightly different from the domestic students of a country.
Being uncertain and having to make high-risk decisions of choosing a university,
international students search for evidence of better quality in the services offered
(Angell et al., 2008). Thus, ignoring the nature and importance of service quality may
prove to be perilous for service providers in the higher education industry. As such,
universities in Malaysia have to consider various preferences and needs of international
students to satisfy them. Student satisfaction plays a crucial role in the success of a
university and can act as an essential tool in enhancing its perceived service quality
(Abdullah, 2006a).
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Higher
education
service quality
effect
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