scholarly journals Developing Innovative Support Structures in Higher Education Institutions: A Student Perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mxolisi Walter Ntoyakhe ◽  
Musa Ngibe
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Academic Departments ◽  
Student Perspective ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Administrative Staff ◽  
The University

Higher education institutions have been obliged to work extremely hard to ensure their sustainability and growth to meet the ever-increasing demands of university students, parents, and stakeholders. Universities have been under great pressure to remain competitive with a great deal of emphasis placed on being innovative, building auxiliary structures, and acquiring qualified academics. The concept of service delivery of academic departments in universities of technology has received minimal attention. This study explored student expectations and perceptions of service quality provided by academic support departments with the intention of enhancing the level of student satisfaction and experience. A quantitative research approach was employed using questionnaires. A nonprobability convenience sampling was adopted to identify 260 students. Data were coded and analyzed for descriptive analysis using SPSS Version 23.0. The findings revealed that many students were not content with various services provided by the academic departments within the university and that the academic departments did not offer students the services that they expected. The dimension of SERVQUAL displayed a negative gap in services provided by academic administrative staff. On the basis of these findings, it is recommended that the university attends to the identified key areas of concern, particularly administrative staff competency.

scholarly journals The Potential Role of Stakeholders in the Energy Efficiency of Higher Education Institutions

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 8908
Author(s):  
Rubén Garrido-Yserte ◽  
María-Teresa Gallo-Rivera
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Save Energy ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

Higher education institutions (HEIs) have a huge potential to save energy as they are significantly more energy-intensive in comparison with commercial offices and manufacturing premises. This paper provides an overview of the chief actions of sustainability and energy efficiency addressed by the University of Alcalá (Madrid, Spain). The policies implemented have shifted the University of Alcalá (UAH) to become the top-ranking university in Spain and one of the leading universities internationally on environmentally sustainable practices. The paper highlights two key elements. First, the actions adopted by the managerial teams, and second, the potential of public–private collaboration when considering different stakeholders. A descriptive study is developed through document analysis. The results show that energy consumption per user and energy consumption per area first fall and are then maintained, thereby contributing to meeting the objectives of the Spanish Government’s Action Plan for Energy Saving and Efficiency (2011–2020). Because of the research approach, the results cannot be generalized. However, the paper fulfils an identified need to study the impact of HEIs and their stakeholders on sustainable development through initiatives in saving energy on their campuses and highlights the role of HEIs as test laboratories for the introduction of innovations in this field (monitoring, sensing, and reporting, among others).

scholarly journals An investigation of students’ experience of service quality delivered by administrative staff at one site of a South African comprehensive university

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Mxolisi Walter Ntoyakhe
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
South African ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Administrative Staff ◽  
Comprehensive University ◽  
Five Dimensions ◽  
Perceptions And Expectations ◽  
The University

Over the last decade the institutional framework within which most universities in South Africa operate has undergone major transformation forcing the higher education sector to become more competitive in its approach to attracting and retaining quality students. Against this background, service quality has been put forward as a critical determinant of competitiveness. Higher Education Institutions are increasingly placing greater emphasis on meeting students’ expectations and needs. As institutions of higher learning become more student orientated, student perceptions of higher educational facilities and services are becoming more essential. It is clear that there is a need to measure students’ experience of service quality in order to develop innovative academic structures, facilities and services to retain and attract new students. Therefore, this study used a mixed research approach and a nonprobability sampling technique to identify the sample size. The purpose of this study was to investigate the students’ experience of service quality delivered by administrative staff at one site of a South African Comprehensive University. Underpinned by the Gap Model of service delivery and an adapted SERVQUAL instrument, this study sought to determine perceptions and expectations of service quality across five dimensions, namely: tangibles; reliability; responsiveness; assurance; and empathy. Questionnaires were used as data collection instrument to collect data from two hundred and sixty (260) registered students; twelve (12) academic departments, residence and library administrative staff members. Questionnaires were used to gather data from administrative staff of academic department, library and residence; and registered students in one comprehensive university in South Africa. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24 was used to analyse the data. Statistical tools that include frequencies, mean scores and tabulations were utilized to present the data from findings. The Wilcoxon signed ranks test was also utilized to further analyse the significance of the gaps. Various gaps between students’ perceptions and expectations indicating dissatisfaction with administrative services particularly among the students were identified. The findings from the study indicated that, a negative service quality gap exists at selected site of Comprehensive University in SA. The findings further suggested that issues such as service quality planning and monitoring, establishing recovery mechanisms for service failures, and student- driven service design and standards need to be high on the agenda at higher education institutions to ensure service quality. All five dimensions of SERVQUAL indicated a negative score or quality gap suggesting that the administrators of selected departments need to urgently close the gaps that exist at their institution; key recommendations were thus made to improve the gaps identified. Frequent interaction between the administrators and the students is recommended for the university as it provides important information on student expectations and perceptions. Continuous employee training to improve the existing skills is also recommended for comprehensive university employees as it can have a good impact on meeting the students’ expectations of the service quality dimensions. The study therefore, concluded that the university needed urgent intervention in terms of developing proper academic support structures, facilities and quality services that would satisfy the needs of students.

scholarly journals Students’ Satisfaction on Academic Services in Higher Education: Public and Private Universities of Bangladesh

2021 ◽  
pp. 29-41
Author(s):  
Farha Sultana ◽  
Sunita Nasrinq
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
University Students ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Private Universities ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
The University ◽  
Academic Services

Student satisfaction is an outcome of the insight of service quality provided by the university. Government of Bangladesh introduces private universities in 1992 because of huge demand in higher education. Currently, there are 103 private universities, forty-three public universities and three international universities in Bangladesh. But it is a matter of sorrow that, universities are increasing day by day but the qualities of universities are not satisfactory. This study is a comparative study conducted on two universities (one is Rangamati Science and Technology University (public) and another one is Premier University (private). The study was pointed out academic services in the private and the public universities. Based on the review of literature a questionnaire was developed and it was distributed among 120 students. The total 120 respondents have been drawn probabilistically from 2 universities. Descriptive analysis, factor analysis have been used to analyze the data and to draw the findings. It has been found that satisfaction level of the private university students is not up to the mark. Finally, few suggestions have made to increase satisfaction of the university students in Bangladesh. Results revealed that students from Rangamati Science and Technology university (public) and Premier University (private) hold different opinion whether their expectation met or not.

scholarly journals A Descriptive Analysis of Barriers Faced by Females in Acquiring Higher Education; A Study of District Zhob, Baluchistan in Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-192
Author(s):  
Hina Aslam (CA) ◽  
Saima Muneer ◽  
Aisha Khan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Huge Number ◽  
Advanced Education ◽  
Social Barriers ◽  
The Social ◽  
State Of Mind

The current research was centered on the scholarly issues and social barriers faced by female students to get affirmation in higher education. The study expected to discover the difficulties, which the respondents needed to face to conquer the social impediments in getting advanced education. The review concentrated on huge number of social obstructions and difficulties, budgetary issues and scholastic issues that female needed to confront. Quantitative research approach was utilized to uncover the experience of respondents which they encountered while getting affirmation in college. The research was being conducted in District Zhob, Baluchistan Province, since it was encompassed by for the most part country Areas. Population of the present review comprised of the female understudies contemplating in different instructive organizations. The discoveries demonstrate that different variables in charge of social prohibition of young ladies from education area in Pakistan incorporate preservationist state of mind of family and inclination to kid's training. Not with standing this, female understudies likewise tended to face impression of their families about co-education as social and religious variables to advanced education in Pakistan. The focus acknowledged with this class was "saw fears and dangers to family respect". As the individuals from conservative society, families had for the most part negative demeanor for females towards advanced education.

scholarly journals Marketing Mix Instruments as Factors of Improvement of Students’ Satisfaction in Higher Education Institutions in Republic of Serbia and Spain

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 7802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Brkanlić ◽  
Javier Sánchez-García ◽  
Edgar Breso Esteve ◽  
Ivana Brkić ◽  
Maja Ćirić ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Marketing Mix ◽  
Public Image ◽  
Education Marketing ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Students Satisfaction

This paper explores the impact of marketing mix instruments on the students’ satisfaction in faculties in the Republic of Serbia and Spain, with the aim of determining how significant the effects of each marketing mix tool and their combinations are in relation to satisfaction of students in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The detailed literature review is provided in the theoretical part, which contributes to a better understanding of terms like marketing in higher education, marketing mix instruments in higher education and students’ satisfaction. Data were collected from 896 respondents, who are all students at the faculties in Serbia and Spain, and were obtained using the questionnaire purposefully composed for this research. The methods used to highlight any gaps in this marketing mix practice and the relative customer–student satisfaction in HEIs are statistical analyses (descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis and t-independent samples tests), leading to the general conclusions regarding the following: by improving marketing mix instruments (service, distribution, human factor, physical evidence, service process) we can, and by improving (price, promotion) we cannot, improve students’ satisfaction in higher education institutions. The general conclusions clearly highlight what needs to be improved in practice in higher education institutions to improve students’ satisfaction, especially students’ loyalty, students’ choices, students’ satisfaction with the quality of the marketing mix instruments at the faculty, students’ satisfaction with expectation which they had upon enrolment and student satisfaction with the public image of the faculty, which is the main goal of these institutions.

Association between organizational norms and employee productivity in higher education

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 271-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abhilasha Singh
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Employee Productivity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Norms ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of organizational norms on employee productivity within the higher education sector in UAE. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research approach was used to investigate 89 respondents from higher education institutions. An online survey approach was used to investigate the opinions of respondents with regard to the impact of organizational norms on employee productivity in UAE. The data were then statistically analyzed using SPSS version 22. Findings The results showed a positive association between the investigated organizational norms and employee productivity. Furthermore, there was a significant relationship between age and organizational norms. Increase in employee age corresponds to an increase in employee productivity. Originality/value This study has made a novel contribution, since there is a significant lack of research surrounding the influence of organizational norms on employee productivity in the higher education institutions in UAE.

scholarly journals Female Continue to Face Challenges in Acquiring Higher Education in Pakistan

2019 ◽  
pp. 1238-1248
Author(s):  
Hakim Ullah ◽  
Chen Xiaoduan ◽  
Tariq Mehmood Bhuttah ◽  
Saima Javed
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Parental Education ◽  
Cultural Barriers ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Enrollment Rate ◽  
The Family ◽  
Percentage Basis ◽  
The University

The present study aimed to investigate the challenges, which girls had to face to overcome the cultural obstructions in getting higher education. The study focused on a multitude of cultural barriers and challenges, financial problems, and academic issues that female had to face. Qualitative, as well as a quantitative research approach, was used to know about the experience of respondents which they experienced while getting admission in the university. Questioners were the essential tools to collect the data described by a percentage basis. The study was conducted in Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan (Punjab, Pakistan) because different rural areas surrounded it. The population of the present study consisted of the female students studying in BS (Hons) program and M.sc students of the university. The paper argues that financial constraints included the theme of the scarcity of resources allocated to girls. Due to poor economic conditions, parents preferred their son’s education as compared to the daughter’s school and suggested that due to limited resources, parents choose between daughter’s education and son’s education. “From these excerpts, it was also revealed that families did not invest in girl’s education due to their restricted productivity in generating income for the family. The results also show that various factors are responsible for the social exclusion of girls from the education sector of Pakistan. These factors include the conservative attitude of family and preference to boy’s education. The originality of this paper is that the conservative opinion of the family and community is the primary determinant of low enrollment rate of girls in higher education. In addition to this, the result of the research depicts that little parental education also results in a flat enrollment rate in Pakistan.

scholarly journals THE SERVICE ENCOUNTER IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 20-28
Author(s):  
Steven Kayambazinthu Msosa
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
The Body ◽  
Service Encounter ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Negative Feelings

This paper reviews existing literature on the service encounter in higher education institutions. It aims to analyse and provide more insight on the term service encounter, identify dimensions, the types of service encounter and how the service encounter is evaluated. The service encounter (SE) is a critical aspect of the service delivery process. It is used to determine whether the service delivered has been satisfactory or dissatisfactory. Furthermore, the service encounter offers an opportunity for the service provider to demonstrate his or her ability to offer a remarkable experience. However, it has been proven that many service providers do not take advantage of the service encounter to create student satisfaction. As a result, many encounters have left marks of unpleasant and negative feelings on the student. In higher education institutions, the service encounter helps both students and academicians communicate and understand the needs of either party. This study adopted a systematic review of the literature using several academic databases. A plethora of studies on the service encounter were reviewed from several academic databases but only 50 articles published from 1984 to 2018 were cited in this study. A descriptive analysis was used to highlight the classification of the sources used, the number of articles cited in this study and the year when the articles were published. The study identified several definitions of the service encounter and also found that there are several dimensions and types of the service encounter. The divergent views that emanate from these findings stem from the fact that there is a growth in literature and the body of knowledge on the service encounter in different sectors of the economy. The findings of this study could assist academics and practitioners to have a deeper understanding of the service encounter. Such an understanding is very critical in addressing the needs of students and other stakeholders of higher education institutions. Moreover, it can help faculty members and institutional managers deal with moments of truths which if properly managed can facilitate the realisation of student expectations and ultimately, satisfaction. This study further provides a basis for future research using the available service encounter evaluation tools or instruments.

scholarly journals ACCEPTANCE OF MARKETING CONCEPT AT HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS- STUDENT FOCUSED APPROACH

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (14) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Nedeljka Elez
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Teaching Quality ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Administrative Staff ◽  
Marketing Concept ◽  
Positive Image ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
New Students ◽  
The University

Due to the decrease in the number of students, increase in the number of higher education institutions and universities and the reduction of income of budget funds, educational institutions have no choice but to accept marketing concept as a guide in their activities. Acceptance of the student-focused concept is a starting point for a fundamental reform of teaching and curricula at higher education institutions. Since the satisfaction of students in the field of teaching quality, which is directly related to attracting new students, is a source of income for universities, marketing concept can mean a condition of survival. Work on creating a positive image of higher education institutions at all levels of action, and work on increasing the satisfaction of students and being responsible to them are the tasks of the management, teaching and administrative staff and all employees at the University.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document