Vindicating service quality of education through structural equation modeling (SEM): International students’ perspective

Abstract

The prime objective of this paper is to identify the factors that influence service quality of education mediating by institutional image in tertiary education perspective. To reach this aim, the Nordic model was applied as a theoretical base of the study. Program quality as a technical quality as well as industrial link and student satisfaction as functional quality were postulated to positively influence image toward the service quality education. Data (n=294) were collected from foreign students studying at University Utara Malaysia located in northern Malaysia through convenient sampling procedure. The structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized for analyzing the data. Analysis of the data indicates that image has a full mediating role in the relationship between industrial link and service quality education. To uphold service quality in education, the academic authorities need to nurture earnestly industrial link and image of the institution because image occupied full mediation role between industrial link and service quality of education. Moreover, program quality and student satisfaction have shown direct significant impact on image and service quality of education and can be regarded as critical factors for certifying image and service quality in higher education. The conceptual model of this study would give more recognition if any tertiary level institution addresses this in order to increase their image and overall ranking. This study incorporated institutional image as a mediating variable, which is an outstanding effort in tertiary level studies for inspiring existing body of literature in perspective of international students.