Do Quality of Services and Institutional Image Impact Students’ Satisfaction and Loyalty in Higher Education?

Abstract

The objective of this study is to investigate whether the quality of educational services and the university’s institutional image influence students’ overall satisfaction with their university experience as well as the possible consequences of these relationships on students’ loyalty. In particular, in today’s increasingly competitive higher education environment, such concepts have become of strategic concern in both public and private universities. To explain the complex system of relationships among these constructs, several hypotheses were formulated and tested through a structural equation model. Data were collected through a web questionnaire handed out to 14,870 students enrolled at the University of Pisa. The results provide valuable insight and show that teaching and lectures and teaching and course organization are the main determinants of students’ satisfaction and students’ loyalty among the more academic components of the educational service. Furthermore, the crucial role played by university image is worth noting, both for its direct and indirect effects on students’ satisfaction as well as on students’ loyalty and on teaching and lectures.

Appendix

Highly qualified teachers (y₁)

	N	%
None	6805	45.8
Little	6408	43.1
Enough	1026	6.9
Much	631	4.2
Total	14,870	100.0

Quality of the teaching activity (y₂)

	N	%
None	7773	52.3
Little	5701	38.3
Enough	891	6.0
Much	505	3.4
Total	14,870	100.0

Quality of research (y₃)

	N	%
None	5881	39.5
Little	7058	47.5
Enough	1046	7.0
Much	885	6.0
Total	14,870	100.0

Organization of exams (appeals, information, bookings) (y₄)

	N	%
None	1005	6.8
Little	3693	24.8
Enough	6648	44.7
Much	3524	23.7
Total	14,870	100.0

Class schedule (y₅)

	N	%
None	964	6.5
Little	3483	23.4
Enough	7729	52.0
Much	2694	18.1
Total	14,870	100.0

Support provided by non-academic personnel (y₆)

	N	%
None	1113	1.5
Little	3413	12.5
Enough	7350	63.8
Much	2995	22.2
Total	14,870	100.0

Online services (y₇)

	N	%
None	730	4.9
Little	3542	23.8
Enough	6747	45.4
Much	3851	25.9
Total	14,870	100.0

Lecture halls (y₈)

	N	%
None	1134	7.6
Little	4915	33.1
Enough	7262	48.8
Much	1559	10.5
Total	14,870	100.0

Laboratories (y₉)

	N	%
None	2816	18.9
Little	6371	42.8
Enough	4751	31.9
Much	932	6.3
Total	14,870	100.0

Cleanliness (y₁₀)

	N	%
None	943	6.3
Little	4000	26.9
Enough	7763	52.2
Much	2164	14.6
Total	14,870	100.0

Meeting places (y₁₁)

	N	%
None	791	5.3
Little	4805	32.3
Enough	7646	51.4
Much	1628	10.9
Total	14,870	100.0

Number of seats (y₁₂)

	N	%
None	1250	8.4
Little	6318	42.5
Enough	6573	44.2
Much	730	4.9
Total	14,870	100.0

Opening hours (y₁₃)

	N	%
None	536	3.6
Little	2211	14.9
Enough	8121	54.6
Much	4002	26.9
Total	14,870	100.0

Number and variety of journals/databases (y₁₄)

	N	%
None	347	2.3
Little	3459	23.3
Enough	9705	65.3
Much	1359	9.1
Total	14,870	100.0

Availability of textbooks (y₁₅)

	N	%
None	250	1.7
Little	2001	13.5
Enough	9297	62.5
Much	3322	22.3
Total	14,870	100.0

Quality of food (y₁₆)

	N	%
None	627	4.2
Little	3987	26.8
Enough	8869	59.6
Much	1387	9.3
Total	14,870	100.0

Variety of menu (y₁₇)

	N	%
None	443	3.0
Little	3679	24.7
Enough	8518	57.3
Much	2230	15.0
Total	14,870	100.0

Cleaning (y₁₈)

	N	%
None	127	0.9
Little	1162	7.8
Enough	9891	66.5
Much	3690	24.8
Total	14,870	100.0

Information on administrative procedures and practices (y₁₉)

	N	%
None	390	2.6
Little	3093	20.8
Enough	8667	58.3
Much	2721	18.3
Total	14,870	100.0

Online services (y₂₀)

	N	%
None	168	1.1
Little	1328	8.9
Enough	7578	51.0
Much	5796	39.0
Total	14,870	100.0

Response times to email requests (y₂₁)

	N	%
None	759	5.1
Little	2868	19.3
Enough	7476	50.3
Much	3767	25.3
Total	14,870	100.0

Relationship with the staff (y₂₂)

	N	%
None	763	5.1
Little	3317	22.3
Enough	8141	54.7
Much	2649	17.8
Total	14,870	100.0

Support provided by staff (y₂₃)

	N	%
None	1300	8.7
Little	4032	27.1
Enough	6835	46.0
Much	2703	18.2
Total	14,870	100.0

Prestigious (y₂₄)

	N	%
None	9372	63.0
Little	4840	32.5
Enough	403	2.7
Much	255	1.7
Total	14,870	100.0

Modern (y₂₅)

	N	%
None	3707	24.9
Little	8006	53.8
Enough	1942	13.1
Much	1215	8.2
Total	14,870	100.0

Famous (y₂₆)

	N	%
None	11,455	77.0
Little	2291	15.4
Enough	376	2.5
Much	749	5.0
Total	14,870	100.0

In contact with the labour market (y₂₇)

	N	%
None	2798	18.8
Little	7190	48.4
Enough	2023	13.6
Much	2859	19.2
Total	14,870	100.0

Satisfaction with the choice of enrolling at the University of Pisa (y₂₈)

	N	%
None	277	1.9
Little	1476	9.9
Enough	7994	53.8
Much	5123	34.4
Total	14,870	100.0

Satisfaction compared to initial expectations (y₂₉)

	N	%
None	748	5.0
Little	3261	21.9
Enough	7917	53.2
Much	2944	19.8
Total	14,870	100.0

Overall satisfaction (y₃₀)

	N	%
None	225	1.5
Little	1861	12.5
Enough	9488	63.8
Much	3297	22.2
Total	14,870	100.0

Intention to enrol again at the University of Pisa (y₃₁)

	N	%
Yes	1989	13.4
Not	12,881	86.6
Total	14,870	100.0

Intention to recommend the University of Pisa to a relative, a friend or an acquaintance (y₃₂)

	N	%
Yes	1695	11.4
Not	13,175	88.6
Total	14,870	100.0