Service Quality Dimensions and Students’ Satisfaction: A study of Saudi Arabian Private Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

Students’ satisfaction and their intentions are recognized as rather important aspects in higher education institution’s strategy in a competitive private higher education sector. However, what drives students’ satisfaction and retention is the service quality, and this quality comes from the combination of excellent learning and non-learning process. Building on service quality dimension literature, this study aims to investigate the antecedents of students’ intention to choose and stay with private higher education institutes. Through an adapted questionnaire survey, students’ response was measured on a 5-point likert scale. The results suggested that perceived service quality is positively correlated to satisfaction; perceived service quality and satisfaction are positively correlated to students’ retention. Limitations of the study are also presented at the end of the paper.