Available via license: CC BY 4.0
Content may be subject to copyright.
sustainability
Article
Unveiling the International Students’ Perspective of Service
Quality in Chinese Higher Education Institutions
Fakhra Yasmin 1, Shengbing Li 1,2,*, Yan Zhang 3,*, Petra Poulova 4and Ahsan Akbar 4
Citation: Yasmin, F.; Li, S.; Zhang, Y.;
Poulova, P.; Akbar, A. Unveiling the
International Students’ Perspective of
Service Quality in Chinese Higher
Education Institutions. Sustainability
2021,13, 6008. https://doi.org/
10.3390/su13116008
Academic Editors: Ana B. Bernardo,
Adrian Castro-Lopez, Javier Puente
and Leandro Almeida
Received: 5 May 2021
Accepted: 21 May 2021
Published: 26 May 2021
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral
with regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional affil-
iations.
Copyright: © 2021 by the authors.
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
This article is an open access article
distributed under the terms and
conditions of the Creative Commons
Attribution (CC BY) license (https://
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/
4.0/).
1
School of Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; fakhra.yasmin@hotmail.com
2Center of Crossborder Education, School of International Business, South China Normal University,
Guangzhou 510631, China
3School of Educational Science, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
4
Department of Informatics and Quantitative Methods, Faculty of Informatics and Management, University of
Hradec Kralove, 500 03 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic; petra.poulova@uhk.cz (P.P.);
ahsan_finance@hotmail.com (A.A.)
*Correspondence: lisb@scnu.edu.cn (S.L.); zhangyan1981@hust.edu.cn (Y.Z.)
Abstract:
Foreign students’ satisfaction with the service quality of Chinese universities is essential for
the sustainable internationalization of China’s higher education system. The present study employs a
survey research method to bring in the foreign students’ perspective of the various aspects of service
quality in seven key Chinese universities. Accordingly, 618 valid questionnaires were analyzed
using descriptive statistics, principal component analysis (PCA), and analysis of variance (ANOVA).
The study findings posit that, although foreign students affirm that teachers are supportive and
well qualified, they have concerns about the English proficiency of instructors. Likewise, foreign
students were not satisfied with the frequency of formal research meetings with their advisers and
the assistance with research techniques and relevant literature sources. Overall, female foreign
students were less satisfied than their male counterparts. Moreover, foreign students reported higher
satisfaction from teaching services and learning resources, moderate satisfaction from advisory
services, and meager satisfaction from the administrative and support services of their respective
Chinese institutions. Besides, we found significant differences between sample Chinese universities
on various constructs of service quality. Likewise, arts and social sciences students were less satisfied
with the service quality of the institution as compared to their natural sciences and engineering
counterparts. The policy implications of this research for various stakeholders are discussed.
Keywords:
international students; service quality evaluation; perceived satisfaction; sustainable
higher education system; China
1. Introduction
The United Nations Agenda 2030 for sustainable development goals (SGDs) outlines
a vision for a better world that relies on cooperation and interdependence. At the heart of
these SDGs is the goal for advancing education. This goal primarily emphasizes universal
education and suggests that all countries should ensure the provision of inclusive and
equitable education and learning opportunities for all. This goal represents the vision and
aspirations of the international educational community for the year 2030 [1].
Higher education institutions play an imperative role in the advancement of sustain-
ability and all the important stakeholders expect them to be sustainable organizations [
2
].
However, in the context of the internationalization of higher education, sustainability can
only be achieved if the students’ evaluation is favorable regarding the service quality
of their host institutions. China has become a rapidly emerging destination for interna-
tional students. However, Chinese HEIs are considered to be at the early stage of their
sustainable development [
3
]. Since the reform and opening-up policy was adopted in
1980, the remarkable growth of the Chinese economy has attracted the attention of many
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116008 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 2 of 23
countries in terms of economic and trade as well as educational cooperation with China.
The internationalization of education in China evolved through different phases in re-
sponse to trends in globalization to foster cultural, political, and economic ties between
China and the world. As per the recent scenario, the international education plan of the
Chinese government for the decade 2010–2020 intends to gradually increase the number of
international students, and in 2020, the government intends to accept more than 500,000
foreign students, and among those 150,000 are expected to be research students enrolled in
graduate and postgraduate programs. To realize these targets, Chinese universities have
extensively expedited the enrollment of scholarship and self-financed students, and in 2018,
China accepted 492,185 international students, thus becoming the largest host country in
Asia [
4
]. The country of origin-based statistics of inbound students in China is presented in
the table below. Table 1indicates that the majority of international students in China came
from Asian countries.
Table 1. Nationwide statistics of international students in China.
Country of Origin Number of Students
South Korea 50,600
Thailand 28,608
Pakistan 28,023
India 23,198
United States 20,996
Russia 19,239
Indonesia 15,050
Laos 14,645
Japan 14,230
Kazakhstan 11,784
All others 226,373
Total 492,185
Source: Institute of International Education (2019).
After becoming part of the WTO, Chinese HEIs were granted some autonomy to man-
age their educational affairs to make them competitive with the regional and international
seminaries. So, the idea was to establish cooperation with renowned foreign universities
to initiate the building of a world-class university with embedded Chinese characteristics.
Therefore, Chinese universities adopt the ‘going in’ and ‘going out’ approach to facilitate
academic mobility, acquire international resources, and promote and facilitate the sus-
tainable development of science and technology in China. However, Chinese institutions
are still new in the international higher education environment and somehow lack global
visibility and influence, which indicates that the desired outcome of the internationalization
process is not yet fully accomplished [5].
Higher education is progressively emerging as a service provider industry that is
exerting a higher pressure on management to meet the needs and expectations of their
students by providing efficient academic and support services [
6
]. The concept of service
quality was first proposed by Deming and Edwards [
7
]. Afterward, by developing a service
quality model, Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry [
8
] provided a relatively new and more
pronounced view of service quality. This can be elaborated as the gap between anticipation
and the actual experience obtained from the consumption of a particular product. Initially,
this concept was used in marketing studies. However, keeping in view its importance in
all the service-providing organizations, academics introduced this concept in the area of
higher education institutions. Hence, the students are viewed as the primary customers of
HEIs and as a means to attract and retain these students; universities shall identify and
fulfill their needs and expectations.
In the modern world, tremendous challenges are emerging for higher education
providers as competition and public demand for higher education have increased expo-
nentially. In this situation, the provision of quality services can serve as a sustainable
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 3 of 23
competitive advantage for any institution. Despite the importance of this concept, higher
educational institutions lack a single standardized definition of overall academic quality [
9
].
Hence there is no consensus among researchers on a single best way of defining service
quality [
10
]. Students are the recipient of training imparted by the universities, which
makes them the prime stakeholders of an institution [
11
]. Thus the overall educational
quality of an HEI depends upon the prevailing management system at a specific HEI [
12
].
According to Jancey and Burns [
13
], experiences of students in engaging with various
services delivered by the institution during the years of their studentship demonstrate
service quality.
In the context of higher educational institutions, the satisfaction of the students
is widely measured through service quality offered by the host institution. There are
competing arguments about the relationship between service quality and satisfaction. One
group of academics contends that service quality is dependent on the level of customer
satisfaction, while others postulate that service quality is an antecedent to satisfaction.
However, recent literature on this issue is dominated by the researchers who consider that
satisfaction is dependent on the level of service quality, see, e.g., [14–16].
Perceived service quality builds a promising image of the institution in the minds of
students that afterward leads them to higher satisfaction. International students that are
satisfied with their academic and living arrangements in the host country were more likely
to share their foreign university with their colleagues and friends in the home country [
17
].
Hence, an imperative factor for China to become an attractive higher education destination
for international students is to ensure that the existing students are reasonably satisfied
with various aspects of academic services of their host Chinese university and their overall
living experience in China.
This study aspires to answer the following research questions. How do the current
foreign students perceive their study and living experience in Chinese universities? Are
they satisfied with the various aspects of teaching, learning, support, and living services
at their host institution? Will they recommend China as a higher education destination to
their colleagues and friends?
The present study makes use of the survey research method to examine the perception
of Masters and PhD degree foreign students regarding the service quality of the host Chi-
nese universities. Thus, 618 usable questionnaires were analyzed from the foreign students
of seven key state universities of Wuhan, China. To have a reasonable representation from
each category, only foreign students enrolled in natural sciences and engineering and arts
and social sciences were included of this survey. International students recorded their
response on a five-point Likert scale on the dimensions of teaching services, advisory
services, administrative support, learning infrastructure, support infrastructure, and their
overall evaluation of the satisfaction from pursuing higher education in China. Excel and
SPSS software were mainly used to perform item-based analysis, dimension-based analysis,
PCA, and ANOVA to comprehensively examine this research topic.
The contribution of this research is two-fold. First, the extant literature in the context
of China employs descriptive analysis to evaluate the overall satisfaction of foreign stu-
dents from their study experience in China and has largely ignored evaluating student’s
satisfaction from each aspect of service quality. However, in the backdrop of China’s rise
as a major player in the global higher education market, it is imperative to explore all the
important features of service quality to examine the sustainability of China’s international
higher education. Therefore, the present study fills this void by devising a comprehensive
framework to investigate the quality of teaching services, advisory services, administrative
support, learning infrastructure, support infrastructure, and overall satisfaction of foreign
students. Second, to ensure the empirical rigor of this study we make use of a bottom-up
approach to conduct the item-wise, dimension-wise, and variable-level analysis. In so do-
ing, descriptive analysis, reliability analysis, PCA, and ANOVA techniques were employed
to uncover each facet of the international student’s satisfaction with the service quality
delivery of Chinese universities.
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 4 of 23
2. Theoretical Underpinnings and Literature Review
2.1. Theoretical Framework
The satisfaction theory has its roots in the discrepancy theory [
18
] while over the past
few years; scholars have used comparative techniques to model the level of satisfaction or
dissatisfaction [
19
]. A variety of theoretical approaches has been adopted to portray the
association between positive disconfirmation or satisfaction and negative disconfirmation
or dissatisfaction. Oliver [
20
] asserted that these approaches could be viewed as a modified
version of the consistency theories and primarily focuses on the post-usage evaluation of
the customers. Consistency theory hypothesizes that, when the actual performance of a
product or service does not meet the expectations of the customers, they will experience a
certain degree of dissatisfaction [
21
]. Thus, to communicate their dissatisfaction, customers
will either adjust their expectations about the product or service or the perception about
the actual user experience. This theoretical paradigm is in line with the mobility theory of
satisfaction proposed by Morris and Winter [22].
Several authors have used comparative techniques to elaborate satisfaction over time.
The most significant theoretical perspectives to emerge in contemporary studies include
assimilation theory, contrast theory, assimilation-contrast theory, expectancy disconfirma-
tion theory, and negativity theory. Assimilation theory mainly evolved from the theory of
cognitive dissonance propagated by Festinger [
23
]. The dissonance theory claimed that
customers draw some sort of cognitive comparison between the expected and the realized
performance of a product. Thus dissonance or negative disconfirmation will arise if there is
a discrepancy between the expected and the actual realized performance. Such post-usage
assessment by the customer was presented as the assimilation theory of satisfaction by
Anderson and Fornell [
24
]. They argued that customers tend to avoid dissatisfaction by
making adjustments in their perception of a particular product to bring it closer to their
expectations. However, assimilation theory has some inherent weaknesses. Firstly, the
theory proposes a relationship between expectation and satisfaction but does not elabo-
rate the mechanism through which disconfirmation of an expectation leads to perceived
satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Moreover, the theory claimed that customers adjust their
expectations about the performance of a product to avoid dissatisfaction. However, if
this phenomenon accurately exists, then dissatisfaction would never be an outcome of a
post-usage evaluation.
Expectation disconfirmation theory is the most widely recognized form of the dis-
crepancy theory. This theory posits that customers will feel positively disconfirmed or
satisfied if the actual performance experience exceeds the expectations. On the contrary,
customers will feel negatively disconfirmed or dissatisfied in case the performance outcome
fails to meet their priori expectations. Thus, positive disconfirmation results in increased
satisfaction, whereas negative disconfirmation has the exact opposite effect. Moreover, if
the actual performance matches with the prior expectations this situation will cause zero
disconfirmation with no effect on their satisfaction. Kotler et al. [
25
] argued that the reason
for such phenomenon could be attributed to the fact that customers develop their expecta-
tions based on the previous experiences, and the comments made by their colleagues and
friends. Oliver [
20
] stated that the actual outcome can surpass expectations in two ways.
The level of actual positive performance is within the normal range, indicating that the
product or service was a little better than expected, or the actual performance experience
is remarkably good, which means that the customer did not expect that their experience
would be so delightful.
The expectancy disconfirmation theory has a perceived advantage as it not only
explains satisfaction related to the performance of products but also explains satisfaction
from service quality. Parker and Matthews [
19
] further extended this framework and
postulated satisfactions as a discrepancy between the actual and the desired outcomes.
This, in some way, relates to the value-percept theory which originated because in some
cases customers could be satisfied from service for which expectation never exists. Hence,
value-percept theory takes satisfaction as an emotional response that is caused by the
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 5 of 23
cognitive evaluation process, which is comparing the object or experience with one’s
values rather than expectations [
19
]. Therefore, the customer requires that there shall
be no disparity between their values, needs, and desires and the actual outcome from
experiencing a particular service. Figure 1presents the pictorial representation of the
theoretical framework of this study.
Sustainability 2021, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW 5 of 24
performance experience is remarkably good, which means that the customer did not
expect that their experience would be so delightful.
The expectancy disconfirmation theory has a perceived advantage as it not only
explains satisfaction related to the performance of products but also explains satisfaction
from service quality. Parker and Matthews [19] further extended this framework and
postulated satisfactions as a discrepancy between the actual and the desired outcomes.
This, in some way, relates to the value-percept theory which originated because in some
cases customers could be satisfied from service for which expectation never exists. Hence,
value-percept theory takes satisfaction as an emotional response that is caused by the
cognitive evaluation process, which is comparing the object or experience with one’s
values rather than expectations [19]. Therefore, the customer requires that there shall be
no disparity between their values, needs, and desires and the actual outcome from
experiencing a particular service. Figure 1 presents the pictorial representation of the
theoretical framework of this study.
Figure 1. Pictorial representation of the theoretical framework based on Expectation Disconfirmation Theory. Source:
Parker and Matthews (2001).
2.2. Literature Review and Hypotheses Development
The students’ evaluation of service quality is most frequently investigated in the
United Kingdom (UK). The underlying reason may be that the universities in the UK are
striving hard to ensure the provision of quality education, support services, and
competent lecturers to their students [26–28]. Urban et al. [29] opined that students’ views
about their experience in higher education are considered very important to examine the
quality of education provided by the universities, since students are the main stakeholders
and play a vital role in the profitable functioning of higher education institutes.
Williams and Cappuccini-Ansfield [30] argued that students are like customers
because they pay tuition fees and universities are the service providers. Thus, students
have many expectations from the institution mainly because they pay fees and expect
value for their money. Because students are the buyers of the higher education services,
their perceived satisfaction is important for the institutions to retain the existing students
and to attract new students. So, together with the effective learning processes, increasing
students’ satisfaction with the institution should be the most preferred goal for every
higher educational institution.
The provision of quality services is one of the very factors that influence the
satisfaction level of students in a particular higher education institution. It is also
considered an imperative dimension to gain a sustainable competitive advantage [31].
Quality aspects and continuous improvement are now among the everyday tasks of
Figure 1.
Pictorial representation of the theoretical framework based on Expectation Disconfirmation Theory. Source: Parker
and Matthews (2001).
2.2. Literature Review and Hypotheses Development
The students’ evaluation of service quality is most frequently investigated in the
United Kingdom (UK). The underlying reason may be that the universities in the UK are
striving hard to ensure the provision of quality education, support services, and competent
lecturers to their students [
26
–
28
]. Urban et al. [
29
] opined that students’ views about their
experience in higher education are considered very important to examine the quality of
education provided by the universities, since students are the main stakeholders and play
a vital role in the profitable functioning of higher education institutes.
Williams and Cappuccini-Ansfield [
30
] argued that students are like customers be-
cause they pay tuition fees and universities are the service providers. Thus, students have
many expectations from the institution mainly because they pay fees and expect value
for their money. Because students are the buyers of the higher education services, their
perceived satisfaction is important for the institutions to retain the existing students and
to attract new students. So, together with the effective learning processes, increasing stu-
dents’ satisfaction with the institution should be the most preferred goal for every higher
educational institution.
The provision of quality services is one of the very factors that influence the satisfac-
tion level of students in a particular higher education institution. It is also considered an
imperative dimension to gain a sustainable competitive advantage [
31
]. Quality aspects
and continuous improvement are now among the everyday tasks of higher education
management [
32
]. Because of increasing competition among global educational institu-
tions, they are employing numerous managerial techniques to improve the quality of their
services and study programs [
33
]. Management of academic institutions is of the view
that preserving a quality culture and making proactive decisions positively contributes to
success [
34
]. This can be done by introducing a non-formality approach, reducing bureau-
cracy, eliminating barriers among departments, encouraging flexibility, and appreciating
initiative. To preserve a responsive environment and customer-oriented institution is an
imperative quality dimension in service providers [
35
]. Quintal et al. [
36
] found that, in a
sample of Australian universities, a one unit increase in the quality of services resulted on
average in a nearly one unit increase in the level of students’ satisfaction and trust. The pro-
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 6 of 23
vision of high-quality services in higher educational institutions is essential and imperative
as satisfaction is an outcome of quality services provided by an organization [37].
Overall, research on satisfaction suggests that perceived quality is a critical deter-
minant of perceived satisfaction [
38
,
39
]. In addition to the provision of quality services,
there are few other dimensions to explain the facets of student satisfaction. For instance,
students’ satisfaction level is also affected by the attitude of admission staff, the admission
process, and the information related to admissions that institutions provide to the potential
students through telephone, brochures, and websites [
40
,
41
]. Elliott and Shin [
42
] are of the
view that focusing on student’s satisfaction from service quality allows the management to
re-engineer their institution to adjust to the needs and expectations of the students as well
as to introduce a mechanism that provides continuous testing of the effectiveness of fulfill-
ment of their needs. They further posit that student satisfaction is an approach to achieve a
sustainable competitive advantage in the higher education industry. In addition to this,
Khosravi et al. [
43
] emphasize that meeting the needs and expectations of the students is
an imperative task for higher education providers to gain a sustainable competitive edge
over their rivals.
Student satisfaction is a complicated idea that consists of several dimensions. Appleton-
Knapp and Krentler [
44
] pointed out two types of factors that influence student satisfaction
level: institutional factors; and personal factors. Institutional factors include quality and
swiftness of the teacher’s feedback, the teaching style of the academicians, clarity of in-
structor’s expectations as well as quality of his instructions, emphasis on research in an
institution, and size of its classrooms. Personal factors that are found to influence stu-
dents’ satisfaction levels are age, gender, temperament, employment, students’ average
grade point, and preferred learning style [
45
]. Thus, to make sure that students are sat-
isfied, higher educational institutions shall contemplate both personal and institutional
factors [46].
Researches suggest a difference in the academic engagement of native and overseas
students mainly because of the factors such as unacquainted pedagogic and research
practices, cultural and linguistic adjustment problems [
47
]. Moreover, Sakurai et al. [
48
]
investigated the factors that promote or hinder the academic engagement of international
doctoral students and found that supervisory practices were the most prominent factor
that shaped students’ level of satisfaction. Moreover, the program in which a student is
registered also serves as a factor of their satisfaction, as students of the faculty of arts were
less satisfied as compared to the students of other hard disciplines. This evidence asserts
that assessing the factors that influence the satisfaction levels of international students is
not an easy task as these may vary with a change in the nationality or study program.
Alves and Raposo [
17
] assert that the provision of quality in all academic aspects by
the institution establishes a positive image in students’ minds which eventually leads to
complete satisfaction and loyalty with the institution. Likewise, Yusoff et al. [
49
] examined
the factors that affect student satisfaction in 1200 students from four private Malaysian
higher education institutions. Results of the study showed that a suitable size of the
class, responsible and competent faculty, and helpful administrative staff were the main
influential factors that determine student satisfaction from their institutions.
Likewise, Gruber et al. [
28
] examined the students’ perceived level of satisfaction
about their institution by administrating the self-developed questionnaire that covered
multiple aspects of the university life of the students. The empirical results indicated that
the satisfaction of students was mainly based on a stable relationship between students and
the institutional environment. Similarly, Fernandes et al. [
50
] studied the satisfaction and
loyalty of the students enrolled in the United Arab Emirates higher education institutions.
A sample of the study consisted of 187 graduates and the required data was collected by
administering questionnaires. Their findings indicated that competent instructors that
provide quality education were the most significant factor that affects student satisfaction
and loyalty to these institutions.
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 7 of 23
In the context of the UK, Douglas et al. [
51
] explored the factors explaining the
satisfaction and dissatisfaction of the students from the universities. The sample constitutes
350 students from two universities in the United Kingdom. A mixed-method approach was
used to analyze the data. Results of the study revealed that quality of teaching and learning
plus the learning and administrative support system of the institution directly influence
the satisfaction and dissatisfaction of students. Likewise, Kashan [
52
] observed the factors
that significantly affect the satisfaction level of students. The sample of the study was 120
master-level students from a public sector university in Pakistan. The findings of their
study revealed that students’ satisfaction was mainly influenced by the teaching faculty.
Similarly, Butt and Rehman [
53
] found that the expertise of faculty members was the most
influential factor among five analysed factors of student satisfaction.
Reilly et al. [
54
] observed the experience of American students at the University of
Ireland. Data were collected from 150 American students and 149 native students. Results
of the study identified that American students had adjustment problems. Furthermore,
different levels of academic satisfaction and social support were also found in foreign
students enrolled in the long- and short-term programs.
Arambewela and Hall [
55
] investigated the perceived importance of factors for se-
lecting Australia as a destination for higher education by Asian international students
and the level of their satisfaction with these factors. Data were collected through a mail
survey and 573 replies were received from international students studying in five different
universities in Victoria. Findings of the study reveal that education quality, advanced
technology, monetary factors, accommodation expenses, security, status, and prestige of
the institution were the significant predictors of international student’s satisfaction.
In recent years, China has emerged as a major host destination for international
education. However, there is a dearth of empirical literature when it comes to examining
the international student’s satisfaction with service quality in Chinese universities. Mastoi
et al. [
56
] explored the satisfaction of Chinese students from the service quality of five
key Chinese Universities. Their findings posit that, on the whole, Chinese students were
satisfied with the teaching and learning environment of their institution. However, they
were not satisfied with the quality of administrative support and their interaction with the
administrative staff of their respective university.
Ding [
57
] examined the satisfaction of international students from study and living
experience in the universities of Shanghai. Results of their descriptive analysis show that
sample students were not satisfied enough with their study and living experience in China
which can hamper the sustainable internationalization of China’s higher education system.
Likewise, Zhong et al. [
58
] evaluated the expectations of foreign students versus their actual
satisfaction from the study in Sino-foreign cooperation institutions. The overall findings
conjecture that foreign students were not satisfied enough with their educational experience
in China. Besides gender, age, degree level, and tuition fee were the considerable factors
that influence the satisfaction of these students.
The synthesis of extant literature shows that educational service quality has been much
explored in the context of developed countries. Though the studies in China are mainly
based on descriptive evaluation and lacks a comprehensive framework and empirical
rigor to investigate each aspect of service quality. Specifically, in the international higher
education market the quality of HEIs is measured by the quality of research support offered
by the supervisor. However, this aspect of higher education has not been explored in the
context of China. Taking expectancy disconfirmation theory as a theoretical foundation
of this study, we examine whether the perceived expectations of the students resonate
with their actual study and living experience in China. The present research aims to fill
this gap by examining the quality of teaching services, advisory services, administrative
support, learning infrastructure, support infrastructure, and overall satisfaction of foreign
students with their study experience in Chinese universities. Therefore the following
hypotheses emerge:
H1. International students are satisfied with the quality of teaching services of Chinese HEIs.
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 8 of 23
H2.
International students are satisfied with the quality of advisory services offered at Chinese
HEIs.
H3. The quality of administrative services meets the expectations of international students.
H4.
International students are satisfied with the quality of learning and support infrastructure at
their host institution.
H5. On the whole, international students are satisfied with the service quality of Chinese HEIs.
3. Data and Methodology
3.1. Sample Characteristics
The sample of this study consists of the foreign students enrolled in the Master’s and
PhD programs in 7 Public Universities of Wuhan, China. The rationale behind choosing
Wuhan City was that it was considered as an Educational hub of China with the presence
of several key state-level universities. Our sample of foreign students included 321 foreign
students from Asia, 176 from Africa, and 150 students from Europe & America. This led
to a total sample of 647 international students. However, 29 questionnaires were either
incomplete or incorrect. Hence, our final sample encompasses 618 valid questionnaires
for data analysis. The students’ responses were gathered by using a questionnaire from
the foreign students of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Zhongnan Uni-
versity of Economics and Law, Huazhong Agriculture University, Central China Normal
University, Wuhan University, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, and the China
University of Geosciences. All these universities are part of project 211 which aims at
developing 100 key Chinese universities of the 21st century hence receive preferential
treatment and financial support from the Ministry of Education, China. All the male or
female foreign students enrolled in Master’s and PhD programs were made part of the
sample. The researcher visited the sample universities to self-administer the questionnaire.
The respondents were requested to fill in the questionnaire carefully. The participation
of foreign students in the survey was completely anonymous and voluntary. A detailed
description of the universities along with the sample size of foreign students is given in
Table 2.
Table 2. Sample Characteristics.
Universities
Sample of the Foreign Students
Male in
Sample
Female in
Sample
No. of
Students
Huazhong University of Science and
Technology 83 42 125
Zhongnan University of Economics and Law 52 34 86
Huazhong Agriculture University 72 20 92
Central China Normal University 41 14 55
Wuhan University 36 18 54
Wuhan University of Science and Technology 66 29 95
China University of Geosciences 81 30 111
Total 431 187 618
The survey research method was used to conduct this research. Survey research
provides the highest level of generalizability to represent a larger population. Because of
possessing a vast number of people who participate in a survey, the collected data has
a better comprehension of the relative traits of the general population of the study. Due
to the higher representative sample size gathered through the survey research method,
it often becomes convenient to report statistically robust results than by using other data
collection procedures. The analysis of multiple variables can be effectively performed by
the application of survey research. On top of this, for scientific research studies, the survey
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 9 of 23
method is ideal due to the provision of a standardized stimulus to all participants in the
study [59].
Table 3entails statistics of various demographic attributes of the sample respondents
to support a better understanding of the data in this study. The frequency and percentages
of the demographic factors, such as gender, age, study major, study year, degree level, and
medium of instruction, of the foreign students are presented below.
Table 3. Demographic characteristics of respondents.
Demographic Factors Frequency Percent
Gender
Male 431 69.7
Female 187 30.3
Total 618 100.0
Age (Years)
20–25 153 24.8
25–30 295 47.7
30–35 139 22.5
35–45 31 5.0
Total 618 100.0
Study Major
Natural Sciences & Engineering 295 47.7
Arts & Social Sciences 323 52.3
Total 618 100.0
Study Year
1st Year 188 30.4
2nd Year 255 41.3
Final Year 175 28.3
Total 618 100.0
Degree Level
Master 338 54.7
PhD 280 45.3
Total 618 100.0
Medium of Instruction
English 463 74.9
Chinese 155 25.1
Total 618 100.0
3.2. Research Instrument
The questionnaire was organized to investigate various service quality aspects of sam-
ple Chinese universities. This section covered foreign student’s perspectives on the service
quality of their host higher education institute from five key dimensions. The last section
examines the overall satisfaction of foreign students by pursuing their higher education
from Chinese HEIs. The detail on the construction of each dimension is outlined below.
1. Teaching services:
This dimension includes seven items to explore the relationship
between teacher and foreign student, teachers’ competency [
60
], teaching quality,
faculty’s helping attitude and teachers’ willingness to provide support and guidance,
availability of required learning material [
29
,
52
], the language barrier in communica-
tion, and students’ feedback about the relevance of offered courses with the field of
study (Douglas, et al., 2006).
2. Advisory services
: This particularly indicates the help and support provided by the
supervisor. This dimension contains twelve items mainly related to examine the
frequency of meetings and discussion sittings with supervisor, ease in approaching
supervisor when needed [
54
,
59
], proper guidance and help on literature resources and
research techniques, finalizing the research plan, and provision of prompt feedback
on students’ work.
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 10 of 23
3. Administrative support:
This dimension encompasses two basic items about the
friendly and supportive attitude of administrative staff and provision of clear and
timely information [53,60].
4. Learning infrastructure:
This consists of six items about foreign students’ academic
experience such as questions about the learning environment and classroom situations,
library resources, availability of online resources, access to Lab and IT facilities [
51
,
55
],
and availability of necessary equipment and internship programs.
5. Support infrastructure:
This indicates basic services provided by the university. This
dimension includes eight items such as questions about accommodation facilities,
medical facilities, transportation services, catering [
56
,
57
], and freedom in performing
religious obligations and sports facilities.
6. Overall satisfaction:
This is the last dimension that includes seven items to seek
general information about the overall satisfaction level of foreign students from
their decision to opt for China as their study destination. These items were based
on external situations such as students’ views that the learning environment of the
university meets their expectations [
61
], they felt socially accepted by the home
students, they positively considered their decision to come to China, and they will
recommend China and their university to friends and colleagues [62].
Validity and Reliability of Research Instrument
The principal components analysis technique was used to extract eigenvalues and
the variance explained by each component. A component can only qualify its place if the
Eigenvalue is greater than 1. Table 4shows that Eigenvalue is higher than 1 in all cases,
therefore, all the service quality dimensions explain a unique aspect of the educational and
support services provided by their host Chinese HEI hence confirms the validity of our
research instrument. Moreover, the first component explained 31.4% of the variance in
service quality. Similarly, the 2nd and 3rd dimensions determined 9.5% and 4.9% of the
variation in service quality. While the 5th and 6th components explained 4.2% and 3.1% of
the variance in service quality. In totality, all six components explained about 58% of the
variance in service quality. Additionally, KMO statistics is a measure of sampling adequacy.
The cut-off point for this statistic is 0.50. Thus, a value of 0.94 reflects that our sample is
quite adequate.
Table 4. Principal components.
Components Eigenvalues % of Variance Explained KMO Statistic
1 12.892 31.4
0.94
2 3.894 9.5
3 2.001 4.9
4 1.787 4.4
5 1.717 4.2
6 1.291 3.1
Table 5presents the validity statistics of each research dimension as well as the overall
reliability of the research instrument using Cronbach’s alpha. The overall reliability alpha
for all the service quality dimensions and overall satisfaction is 0.94. This posits that 94% of
the variance explained by service quality dimensions is true variance. Thus, it authenticates
the reliability and internal consistency of our research instrument.
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 11 of 23
Table 5. Reliability Statistics.
Serial# Research Dimensions Reliability Statistic (Alpha)
1 Teaching Services 0.86
2 Advisory Services 0.95
3 Administrative Support 0.82
4 Learning Infrastructure 0.83
5 Support Infrastructure 0.55
6 Overall Satisfaction 0.86
Overall Reliability 0.94
3.3. Empirical Strategy
For an in-depth understanding, we conduct item-wise, dimension-wise, and variable
level analyses of student responses. Considering the nature of data descriptive statistics
and figures are used to elaborate the difference between different categories. Principal
component analysis (PCA) is a multivariate statistical approach used to reduce the data with
several dimensions to few representative variables which provide sufficient information
about the entire as was available in the larger data set [
63
]. Considering that our survey
data cover various aspects of service quality, the use of PCA helps us in transforming a
bigger set of variables into a smaller set of variables without much loss of information.
Furthermore, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) is employed to observe whether
there is any significant difference between various groups of variables. Hence, the use of
ANOVA helps us to ascertain whether there are significant differences between service
quality dimensions and satisfaction in our sample universities.
4. Data Analysis and Interpretation
Data were analyzed through Microsoft Excel and SPSS 20 software package. Descrip-
tive statistics, principal component analysis (PCA), and ANOVA were used for analysis to
evaluate foreign students’ perceived level of satisfaction with the service quality of Chinese
universities.
4.1. Statement-Wise Analysis of Service Quality and Perceived Satisfaction
Table 6presents the gender-wise questionnaire analysis of service quality and satis-
faction statements. Along with the arithmetic mean and standard deviation, a t-statistic is
also provided to check whether a significant difference exists between the male and female
student’s responses on each statement of service quality and perceived satisfaction.
Table 6. Questionnaire analysis: difference in the satisfaction level of foreign students by gender.
Sr. No. Statements
Males (N = 431) Females (N = 187)
Mean SD Mean SD
1. Teachers are competent and well qualified 3.72 1.001 3.76 0.938
2. Teaching staff would be willing to provide individual attention to students 3.65 0.958 3.53 1.099
3. Course instructors are easily available to provide guidance and support 3.48 1.041 3.51 0.997
4. Teaching staff have friendly and supportive attitude towards the foreign students 3.79 0.980 3.68 0.946
5. The English speaking and listening skills of the teachers are good 3.17 1.128 3.10 1.117
6. Sufficient learning material and resources were provided to meet the need of
the courses 3.61 0.998 3.47 1.059
7. The courses offered in my program fulfill the requirements of my field of study 3.61 1.021 3.41 1.095
8. I have a clear schedule with my supervisor regarding the frequency of meetings to
discuss research progress 3.63 1.046 3.26 1.196
9. My supervisor arranges formal progress meetings several times in a month 3.49 1.153 3.21 1.251
10. I am satisfied with the frequency of these formal meetings 3.53 1.080 3.28 1.088
11. I can contact my supervisor easily 3.85 .998 3.61 1.032
12. My supervisor gave me proper guidance on literature sources 3.65 1.064 3.34 1.127
13. My supervisor provided me the necessary help to design the plan of research work 3.65 1.038 3.37 1.159
14. My supervisor guided me on research techniques 3.60 1.047 3.25 1.143
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 12 of 23
Table 6. Cont.
Sr. No. Statements
Males (N = 431) Females (N = 187)
Mean SD Mean SD
15. My supervisor monitors my progress on regular basis 3.57 1.031 3.24 1.108
16. My supervisor gives prompt feedback on work as soon as it is produced 3.70 0.969 3.49 1.133
17. The feedback provided by my supervisor is useful and effective 3.77 0.953 3.55 1.038
18. My supervisor guides me when things go wrong 3.74 0.944 3.50 1.075
19. My supervisor is sympathetic and supportive of my needs 3.82 0.919 3.54 1.048
20. The administrative staff has a friendly and supportive attitude 3.59 1.070 3.43 1.052
21. The staff provides clear and timely information about the events and services 3.58 1.067 3.45 1.103
22. Class rooms are well equipped and provide a conducive learning environment 3.99 0.761 3.76 0.934
23. Library resources are adequate to serve my educational and research needs 3.85 0.952 3.60 1.034
24. The library has sufficient access to online resources to fulfill my research needs 3.81 0.962 3.64 1.050
25. Lab and IT facilities are accessible and up-to-date 3.71 0.965 3.52 0.980
26. Necessary equipment and materials are available to accomplish my research needs 3.76 0.912 3.54 1.017
27. My school provides enough internship and placement opportunities 3.22 1.133 3.14 1.180
28. Accommodation facilities are adequate to satisfy my living requirements 3.74 .997 3.55 1.048
29. Medical facilities are good enough to serve my needs 3.42 1.064 3.27 1.064
30. I am satisfied with the transportation services provided by my university 3.63 0.958 3.53 0.935
31. The menu in the canteen is suitable for me 3.17 1.185 3.17 1.187
32. The quality of food is good 3.29 1.059 3.11 1.092
33.
I think that I am moving positively towards the accomplishment of my academic goals
3.88 0.805 3.72 0.790
34. The learning environment of the university meets my expectations 3.75 0.914 3.59 0.982
35. I feel that I am socially accepted by the Chinese people 3.67 0.993 3.52 0.969
36. I think I made the right decision to study in China 3.85 0.907 3.64 0.920
37. I will recommend China as study destination to my colleagues and friends 3.68 0.979 3.59 0.954
38. I will recommend my university to my colleagues and friends 3.68 0.992 3.51 0.969
39. I will continue to keep in touch with my school after the completion of studies 3.85 0.982 3.58 0.903
The item analysis of teaching services reveals that on the whole female foreign students
have a lower satisfaction from teaching services as compare to their male counterparts.
Besides, foreign students highly agree with the statement that the teaching staff of their
host Chinese university has a supportive and friendly attitude. Moreover, foreign students
have a higher level of agreement on the statements that teachers are competent and well
qualified and are willing to offer individual attention to the students. However,
Figure 2
depicts that the statements that course instructors are easily available for guidance and
English speaking skills of teachers are good have the lowest mean score which is in line
with reflects that availability and English speaking skills of the sample universities can
be improved to enhance the teaching and learning experience of foreign students. These
results support H1 and are in line with Wen et al. [31].
Sustainability 2021, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW 13 of 24
25. Lab and IT facilities are accessible and up-to-date 3.71 0.965 3.52 0.980
26. Necessary equipment and materials are available to accomplish my
research needs 3.76 0.912 3.54 1.017
27. My school provides enough internship and placement opportunities 3.22 1.133 3.14 1.180
28. Accommodation facilities are adequate to satisfy my living requirements 3.74 .997 3.55 1.048
29. Medical facilities are good enough to serve my needs 3.42 1.064 3.27 1.064
30. I am satisfied with the transportation services provided by my university 3.63 0.958 3.53 0.935
31. The menu in the canteen is suitable for me 3.17 1.185 3.17 1.187
32. The quality of food is good 3.29 1.059 3.11 1.092
33. I think that I am moving positively towards the accomplishment of my
academic goals 3.88 0.805 3.72 0.790
34. The learning environment of the university meets my expectations 3.75 0.914 3.59 0.982
35. I feel that I am socially accepted by the Chinese people 3.67 0.993 3.52 0.969
36. I think I made the right decision to study in China 3.85 0.907 3.64 0.920
37. I will recommend China as study destination to my colleagues and friends 3.68 0.979 3.59 0.954
38. I will recommend my university to my colleagues and friends 3.68 0.992 3.51 0.969
39. I will continue to keep in touch with my school after the completion of
studies 3.85 0.982 3.58 0.903
The item analysis of teaching services reveals that on the whole female foreign
students have a lower satisfaction from teaching services as compare to their male
counterparts. Besides, foreign students highly agree with the statement that the teaching
staff of their host Chinese university has a supportive and friendly attitude. Moreover,
foreign students have a higher level of agreement on the statements that teachers are
competent and well qualified and are willing to offer individual attention to the students.
However, Figure 2 depicts that the statements that course instructors are easily available
for guidance and English speaking skills of teachers are good have the lowest mean score
which is in line with reflects that availability and English speaking skills of the sample
universities can be improved to enhance the teaching and learning experience of foreign
students. These results support H1 and are in line with Wen et al. [31].
Figure 2. Mean score of the statements about teaching services. Source: Authors (2021).
The advisory services are of prime importance to the success of a postgraduate
program. The mean values presented in Table 6 reveals significant differences in the
advisory services between male and female foreign students as male students exhibit a
significantly higher satisfaction from advisory services of their host institution. These
Figure 2. Mean score of the statements about teaching services. Source: Authors (2021).
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 13 of 23
The advisory services are of prime importance to the success of a postgraduate pro-
gram. The mean values presented in Table 6reveals significant differences in the advisory
services between male and female foreign students as male students exhibit a significantly
higher satisfaction from advisory services of their host institution. These findings are
consistent with Zhong et al. [
58
] that there exist significant gender-based differences in the
satisfaction of international students from the service quality of Chinese HEIs.
Figure 3
indicates the mean score of the statements in descending order. On the whole, foreign
students strongly agree with the statement that they can contact their supervisor easily
and that their supervisor is supportive of their needs. Yet have a moderate mean score on
the statements that their supervisor guides them when things go wrong, and that their
advisor gives them prompt feedback. Meanwhile, the statements that supervisors monitor
the progress of foreign students on a regular basis and that supervisors arrange formal
progress meetings, as well as the satisfaction of foreign students with the frequency of
these formal meetings, have the lowest mean score which reveals that the overall majority
of research advisors are not giving proper time to their foreign students, which can signifi-
cantly reduce the quality of their research project. Sakurai et al. [
48
] also propose that fewer
meetings with research advisors leads to reduced satisfaction of the students. These results
reject our second hypothesis hence sample Chinese universities should reduce workload
from the research advisors and shall take such measures which can ensure that foreign
students are getting enough guidance and support from their supervisors at all stages of
their research project.
Sustainability 2021, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW 14 of 24
findings are consistent with Zhong et al. [58] that there exist significant gender-based
differences in the satisfaction of international students from the service quality of Chinese
HEIs. Figure 3 indicates the mean score of the statements in descending order. On the
whole, foreign students strongly agree with the statement that they can contact their
supervisor easily and that their supervisor is supportive of their needs. Yet have a
moderate mean score on the statements that their supervisor guides them when things go
wrong, and that their advisor gives them prompt feedback. Meanwhile, the statements
that supervisors monitor the progress of foreign students on a regular basis and that
supervisors arrange formal progress meetings, as well as the satisfaction of foreign
students with the frequency of these formal meetings, have the lowest mean score which
reveals that the overall majority of research advisors are not giving proper time to their
foreign students, which can significantly reduce the quality of their research project.
Sakurai et al. [48] also propose that fewer meetings with research advisors leads to
reduced satisfaction of the students. These results reject our second hypothesis hence
sample Chinese universities should reduce workload from the research advisors and shall
take such measures which can ensure that foreign students are getting enough guidance
and support from their supervisors at all stages of their research project.
Figure 3. Mean score of statements about satisfaction from advisory services. Source: Authors (2021).
Overall, the foreign students have a higher mean score on the questions that concern
classrooms being well equipped and library and lab resources sufficient to meet their
research needs, which shows that the learning infrastructure of Chinese universities
accepting foreign students is quite developed as they are getting proper attention and
financial support from the government. Yet, students have a lower mean score on the
statement that “My school provides enough internship and placement opportunities” and
the reason for this is that foreign students usually face language barriers while working
with Chinese corporations. Moreover, although foreign students were quite satisfied with
accommodation and transportation facilities, they were relatively less satisfied with the
medical and canteen facilities, probably due to the differences in the treatment procedures
and cuisine between their home country and China. On the whole, these empirical
outcomes support the fourth hypothesis of this research, in that foreign students are
satisfied with the quality of learning and support infrastructure of their host Chinese
HEIs.
As for the overall satisfaction of foreign students, male and female students have a
mean value of 3.88 and 3.72 on the statement that “I think I am positively moving towards
the fulfillment of my academic goals” revealing that overall, international students are
quite satisfied with their higher education from China. Though, female respondents have
a significantly lower score on the statement that “I think I have made the right decision to
Figure 3. Mean score of statements about satisfaction from advisory services. Source: Authors (2021).
Overall, the foreign students have a higher mean score on the questions that concern
classrooms being well equipped and library and lab resources sufficient to meet their
research needs, which shows that the learning infrastructure of Chinese universities accept-
ing foreign students is quite developed as they are getting proper attention and financial
support from the government. Yet, students have a lower mean score on the statement that
“My school provides enough internship and placement opportunities” and the reason for
this is that foreign students usually face language barriers while working with Chinese
corporations. Moreover, although foreign students were quite satisfied with accommoda-
tion and transportation facilities, they were relatively less satisfied with the medical and
canteen facilities, probably due to the differences in the treatment procedures and cuisine
between their home country and China. On the whole, these empirical outcomes support
the fourth hypothesis of this research, in that foreign students are satisfied with the quality
of learning and support infrastructure of their host Chinese HEIs.
As for the overall satisfaction of foreign students, male and female students have a
mean value of 3.88 and 3.72 on the statement that “I think I am positively moving towards
the fulfillment of my academic goals” revealing that overall, international students are
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 14 of 23
quite satisfied with their higher education from China. Though, female respondents have a
significantly lower score on the statement that “I think I have made the right decision to
study in China” and the t-value is also statistically significant. Moreover, foreign students
have a moderate agreement on the questions that they will recommend china and their
university as a study destination to their colleagues and friends. Yet, male students have a
significantly higher agreement with the statement that “I will keep in touch with my school
after the completion of my degree”.
4.2. Category-Wise Analysis of Foreign Students Satisfaction from the Quality of Educational
Services Provided by Chinese Universities
In this section, major and degree level based descriptive analysis is conducted to reveal
the aspects of service quality that need further improvement and to allow a comparison
between different categories of international students.
Table 7presents the items with a high percentage of satisfaction of the student re-
sponses. 75% of the students majoring in natural sciences and engineering agreed that their
course teachers are competent and well qualified yet 65% of the arts and social sciences
students favored this statement. Similarly, the majority of the foreign students agreed that
the teaching staff has a friendly and favorable attitude towards the foreign students as 72%
of the foreign students favored this statement. However, there is a significant difference
between the major categories on the statement that students have a clear schedule with
their supervisors regarding the frequency of meetings to discuss their research progress.
As 68% of the natural sciences and engineering students agreed to this statement, only
52% of arts and social sciences students approved. This shows that natural sciences and
engineering are getting better advisory services and support as they can take discuss their
research work with their supervisor more frequently and regularly as compared to the art
and social sciences majors. These findings resonate with Zhong et al. [
58
] that demographic
factors considerably influence the satisfaction level of foreign students in Chinese HEIs.
On the whole, 71% of the foreign students agreed that the accommodation provided
by the institution meets their living requirements. Moreover, 80% of the respondents
stated that classrooms provide a favorable learning environment and are well equipped.
This evidence suggests that Chinese universities accepting international students have
better classroom facilities. Yet, the score on the statements that administrative staff have a
positive and supportive attitude towards the foreigners is quite average and shows room
for improvement, which negates our third hypothesis. These outcomes are in line with
Mastoi et al. [
56
], in that students are not satisfied enough with their interaction with the
administrative and support staff in Chinese universities. Overall, 70% of the international
students agreed that the learning environment of the university meets their expectations.
Table 7. Study major-wise description of the factors with high level of satisfaction.
Statement Natural Sciences
& Engineering
Art and Social
Sciences Overall
Teachers are competent and well
qualified 75% 65% 70%
Teaching staff has friendly and
supportive attitude towards the foreign
students
73% 71% 72%
I have a clear schedule with my
supervisor regarding the frequency of
meetings to discuss research progress
68% 52% 60%
Accommodation facilities are adequate
to satisfy my living requirements 72% 69% 71%
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 15 of 23
Table 7. Cont.
Statement Natural Sciences
& Engineering
Art and Social
Sciences Overall
Classrooms are well equipped and
provide a conducive learning
environment
84% 77% 80%
The administrative staff has a friendly
and supportive attitude 66% 62% 64%
The learning environment of the
university meets my expectations 74% 68% 70%
Table 8demonstrates the factors with which international students were relatively
less satisfied. Merely 47% of the international were in agreement with the statement that
the English language skills of the teachers are good. The reason for this is perhaps that the
entire education system in China was designed in the native language. Therefore even if
the teachers are competent and better qualified in their fields still they may not be able
to communicate that effectively as they teach the Chinese students. Hence, the HR office
shall make sure that sufficient teachers are available to teach those international students
whose medium of instruction is English. As with the advisory services, 64% of the natural
sciences and engineering students agreed that their supervisor monitors their progress
regularly while only 46% of the arts and social sciences students approved this statement.
Similarly, 67% of the students belonging to the natural sciences and engineering category
agreed to the statement that their supervisor helped them to develop the research plan yet
only 53% of the arts and social sciences students responded in affirmative. This can be
attributed to the fact that natural sciences and engineering students have to work in labs,
therefore, they have more interaction with their supervisor yet the students of the social
sciences have an entirely different type of research work usually have lesser chances to
interact with their supervisor.
Table 8. Major-wise description of the factors with a low level of satisfaction.
Statement Natural Sciences
& Engineering
Art and Social
Sciences Overall
The English speaking and listening
skills of the teachers are good 47% 47% 47%
My supervisor monitors my progress on
regular basis 64% 46% 55%
My supervisor provided me the
necessary help to design the plan of
research work
67% 53% 60%
My school provides enough internship
and placement opportunities 52% 38% 45%
The menu in the canteen is suitable
for me 50% 47% 48%
I will recommend my university to my
colleagues and friends 71% 55% 63%
Only 45% of the foreign students affirmed that their school provides enough placement
or internship opportunities and the reason is perhaps that companies in China usually use
Chinese as the conversation medium, therefore, it is very hard for the foreign students with
less Chinese proficiency to find internships. Similarly, only 48% of the respondents stated
that they are the menu in the canteen is suitable for them. This makes sense as the Chinese
cuisine may be quite different from their native food culture thus it could be very hard
for some of the foreigners to adapt to the new food choices. Moreover, 71% of the natural
sciences category agreed that they will recommend their university to their colleagues and
friend however only 55% of the social sciences category favored this statement. In the
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 16 of 23
nutshell, besides the fact, the number of international students is increasing in Chinese
HEIs, but there is still sufficient room for improvement in several areas to maximize the
satisfaction level of the international students. In line with the findings of Hill et al. [
29
]
and Sakurai et al. [
48
], there exist larger differences in the satisfaction level of the students
concerning their field of study and the natural sciences and engineering students are
relatively more satisfied than their arts and social sciences counterparts.
4.3. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of Service Quality Dimension and Perceived Satisfaction
Table 9reports the PCA of the service quality constructs and the overall satisfaction of
foreign students. It is worth mentioning that if a particular item has a factor loading of less
than 0.3 it shows that the item does not explain much variance in the dimension to which it
belongs. The statement that the teaching staff is willing to provide individual attention to
the students has the highest factor loading of 0.58 in the teaching services dimension which
shows that Chinese instructors are considerate about the problems of foreign students.
Similarly, the statements that offered courses offered to fulfill the needs of the program and
sufficient learning material is provided by the instructor having a factor score of 0.57 and
0.55, respectively, which denote that foreign students place significant importance on the
courses taught and the provision of learning material. While the statement that the English
speaking skills of the instructors are good have the lowest factor loading which indicates
the area for sample universities that require considerable improvement. Moreover, the
results of Bartlett’s test of sphericity suggests that results of the analysis are quite robust.
Table 9.
Principal component analysis of service quality dimensions and the resulting level of satis-
faction.
Services/Items Factor Loadings
1. Teaching Services
Teaching staff would be willing to provide individual attention
to students 0.58
The courses offered in my program fulfill the requirements of my field
of study 0.57
Sufficient learning material and resources were provided to meet the
need of the courses 0.55
Teachers are competent and well qualified 0.52
Course instructors are easily available to provide guidance and support 0.53
Teaching staff has friendly and supportive attitude towards the
foreign students 0.51
The English speaking and listening skills of the teachers are good. 0.51
2. Advisory Services
My supervisor provided me the necessary help to design the plan of
research work 0.73
My supervisor guided me on research techniques 0.72
My supervisor monitors my progress on regular basis 0.69
The feedback provided by my supervisor is useful and effective 0.69
My supervisor gave me proper guidance on literature sources 0.69
My supervisor gives prompt feedback on work as soon as it is produced
0.67
I am satisfied with the frequency of these formal meetings 0.66
My supervisor guides me when things go wrong 0.66
I have a clear schedule with my supervisor regarding the frequency of
meetings to discuss research progress 0.66
My supervisor arranges formal progress meetings several times
in a month 0.63
My supervisor is sympathetic and supportive of my needs. 0.62
I can contact my supervisor easily 0.53
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 17 of 23
Table 9. Cont.
Services/Items Factor Loadings
3. Administrative Support
The staff provides clear and timely information about the events
and services 0.49
The administrative staff has a friendly and supportive attitude 0.45
4. Learning Infrastructure
Necessary equipment and materials are available to accomplish my
research needs 0.61
Library resources are adequate to serve my educational and
research needs 0.55
The library has sufficient access to online resources to fulfill my
research needs 0.55
Classrooms are well equipped and provide a conducive
learning environment 0.52
Lab and IT facilities are accessible and up-to-date 0.52
My school provides enough internship and placement opportunities 0.47
5. Support Infrastructure
Medical facilities are good enough to serve my needs. 0.51
Accommodation facilities are adequate to satisfy my living requirements
0.49
I am satisfied with the transportation services provided by my university
0.41
The quality of food is good 0.40
The menu in the canteen is suitable for me 0.37
I have freedom to perform collective religious obligations in
my university 0.32
I am satisfied with the sports facilities within my university 0.32
6. Overall Satisfaction
The learning environment of the university meets my expectations 0.64
I will recommend my university to my colleagues and friends 0.64
I will recommend China as a study destination to my colleagues
and friends 0.57
I think that I am moving positively towards the accomplishment of my
academic goals 0.55
I think I made the right decision to study in China 0.54
I will continue to keep in touch with my school after the completion
of studies 0.51
I feel that I am socially accepted by the Chinese people 0.40
Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity: 13,753, df = 820, p< 0.001.
4.4. Dimension-Wise Analysis of Service Quality Constructs and Overall Satisfaction
In the dimension-based analysis, the service quality constructs are ranked based on
their respective mean score. Besides, we provide a university-wise ranking of each service
quality dimension to indicate the high performing and low performing institutions based
on the foreign student’s perception of service quality. Subsequently, ANOVA is performed
to examine whether or not a significant difference exists between the service quality aspects
of sample Chinese HEIs.
Figure 4shows the mean score of service quality dimensions in descending order.
Teaching services have the highest mean score of 4.14, which shows that foreign students are
satisfied with various aspects of teaching services of their host HEIs. Learning infrastructure
comes next with a mean score of 3.67 which is attributed that Chinese universities are
quite up-to-date in terms of learning infrastructure because of substantial funding from
the state government. Moreover, advisory services are ranked 3rd with a mean score
of 3.58. This value should be a bit higher and indicate room for improvement. Yet,
administrative support and support have the lowest rank with a mean value of 3.54 and
3.40 respectively which implies that sample Chinese HEIs shall take some measures to
improve their administrative and support services. The mean score for overall satisfaction
is 3.17, which is quite low. This outcome rejects our final hypothesis that on the whole
foreign students are satisfied with their study and living experience in China. Thus, an
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 18 of 23
overall improvement in the service quality variables will ultimately increase the foreign
student’s level of satisfaction.
Sustainability 2021, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW 19 of 24
Figure 4 shows the mean score of service quality dimensions in descending order.
Teaching services have the highest mean score of 4.14, which shows that foreign students
are satisfied with various aspects of teaching services of their host HEIs. Learning
infrastructure comes next with a mean score of 3.67 which is attributed that Chinese
universities are quite up-to-date in terms of learning infrastructure because of substantial
funding from the state government. Moreover, advisory services are ranked 3rd with a
mean score of 3.58. This value should be a bit higher and indicate room for improvement.
Yet, administrative support and support have the lowest rank with a mean value of 3.54
and 3.40 respectively which implies that sample Chinese HEIs shall take some measures
to improve their administrative and support services. The mean score for overall
satisfaction is 3.17, which is quite low. This outcome rejects our final hypothesis that on
the whole foreign students are satisfied with their study and living experience in China.
Thus, an overall improvement in the service quality variables will ultimately increase the
foreign student’s level of satisfaction.
Figure 4. Ranking of service quality dimensions based on students’ responses. Source: Authors
(2021).
Analysis of variance indicates whether there are significant differences in a particular
attribute between different groups. Table 10 reports the university-wise ANOVA of the
service quality constructs. F-statistics and corresponding significance levels posit that
there is no significant difference between the quality of teaching services provided by
Chinese HEIs. In contrast, there are significant differences between the advisory services
and the level of supervisory support provided to the foreign students of different
universities. Similarly, there are significant university-wide differences in the level of
administrative support provided to foreign students. Moreover, learning infrastructure
and support infrastructure dimensions of service quality have the largest F-statistic and
are significant at 1%. These results indicate that universities significantly differ in terms
of the quality and type of learning and support infrastructure rendered to the foreign
Figure 4.
Ranking of service quality dimensions based on students’ responses. Source: Authors
(2021).
Analysis of variance indicates whether there are significant differences in a particular
attribute between different groups. Table 10 reports the university-wise ANOVA of the
service quality constructs. F-statistics and corresponding significance levels posit that there
is no significant difference between the quality of teaching services provided by Chinese
HEIs. In contrast, there are significant differences between the advisory services and the
level of supervisory support provided to the foreign students of different universities.
Similarly, there are significant university-wide differences in the level of administrative
support provided to foreign students. Moreover, learning infrastructure and support
infrastructure dimensions of service quality have the largest F-statistic and are significant
at 1%. These results indicate that universities significantly differ in terms of the quality
and type of learning and support infrastructure rendered to the foreign students. These
empirical outcomes are consistent with Ding [
57
], in that there are significant differences in
the service quality delivery in Chinese HEIs. Yet the empirical results for the satisfaction
of the students are only significant at 5% which postulates that there is a considerable
difference in the satisfaction level of foreign students with the service quality of their host
Chinese HEIs.
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 19 of 23
Table 10.
Dimension-wise ANOVA of service quality constructs by taking university as the category
variable.
Service Quality Dimensions Sum of
Squares df Mean
Square F Sig.
Teaching
Services
Between Groups
7.341 6 1.223 1.721 0.114
Within Groups 434.416 611 0.711
Total 441.757 617
Advisory
Services
Between Groups
10.247 6 1.708 2.490 0.022
Within Groups 419.107 611 0.686
Total 429.354 617
Administrative
Support
Between Groups
14.314 6 2.386 2.492 0.022
Within Groups 584.965 611 0.957
Total 599.279 617
Learning
Infrastructure
Between Groups
11.895 6 1.983 3.973 0.001
Within Groups 304.854 611 0.499
Total 316.749 617
Support
Infrastructure
Between Groups
8.595 6 1.433 3.011 0.007
Within Groups 290.726 611 0.476
Total 299.321 617
Overall
Satisfaction
Between Groups
4.769 6 0.795 2.134 0.048
Within Groups 227.617 611 0.373
Total 232.386 617
5. Conclusions and Policy Implications
As a consequence of theoretical and pragmatic investigation of foreign students’
evaluation of the service quality of Chinese universities, the study findings lead to several
conclusions. These outcomes not only depict the current state of international higher
education programs in Chinese universities, but also warrant attention from the respective
stakeholders to upgrade the under-developed areas of their service quality, to transform
these universities into sustainable knowledge cultivation hubs of international standing.
Against the backdrop of massive financial and policy support from the Chinese
government for the sustainable internationalization of China’s higher education system, it
is imperative that foreign students are satisfied with the service quality offered by their
host institution. Thus, we adopt the bottom-up statistical approach to address this research
question. As with the academic services of Chinese HEIs, foreign students exhibit high
scores on the statements that teachers are competent and qualified, and that they offer a
friendly and supportive attitude to foreign students. In contrast, the statement that the
English language skills of the lecturers are appropriate showed the lowest score, which
must be a matter of concern for the Chinese HEIs if they aim to optimize the teaching and
learning experience of these international students. Moreover, foreign students agreed that
their research advisors provide them timely feedback and are supportive of their needs.
Yet, mixed sentiments were reported on the statement that their advisors arrange enough
formal meetings to discuss the progress of their research project. Moreover, female foreign
students have a statistically lower score than their male counterparts on such statements as
their satisfaction with the frequency of formal research meetings with their supervisor and
that they can contact their supervisor easily. Hence, necessitating a concrete effort from
Chinese HEIs to not only increase the overall advisory support towards foreign students,
but also to address the concerns of female students regarding the access and research
advice from their supervisor.
Besides, it is important to examine the perceived satisfaction of international students
based on their study major. The description of the statement analysis posits that students
belonging to the natural sciences and engineering category have a higher score on various
aspects of academic and support services of their institution than arts and social sciences
students. These outcomes have policy implications and suggest that, in China, natural
sciences and engineering disciplines have progressed well in terms of offering superior
services to their students. However, there is considerable room for improvement in the
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 20 of 23
arts and social sciences disciplines to optimize the learning and support infrastructure to
maximize the satisfaction of international students.
The PCA analysis highlights that teaching services, advisory services, administrative
support, learning infrastructure, and support infrastructure are the key service quality
dimensions of Chinese universities. Moreover, the reliability analysis reveals a Cronbach’s
alpha of 0.94 which supports the validity and reliability of the research instrument used to
measure satisfaction. Together, all the six dimensions of service quality explain about 58%
of the variance in the satisfaction of international students. It reflects that perhaps there are
some personal level motivational and psychological factors that also influence students’
satisfaction besides the service quality of their host institution.
Nevertheless, the ranking of service quality constructs based on the response score
of students reveals that in general international students are highly satisfied with the
teaching services of their Chinese HEIs. Likewise, learning infrastructure was ranked 2nd
with a mean score of 3.67. While advisory services were ranked 3rd in terms of students’
satisfaction from the supervision and support offered by their research advisor. These
results suggest that Chinese universities have taken a step forward to improve the overall
academic experience of their international students, yet there is still considerable room for
further advancement in teaching and research quality for these students. Administrative
support and support infrastructure showed the lowest rank in terms of service quality,
which entails that on the whole international students face problems while dealing with
the administrative matters with the staff and lack the necessary social support to get
adjusted to a new environment. Thus, indicate the areas which deserve special attention
from the administration of Chinese universities for sustainable internationalization of their
institution. Nevertheless, the score of the overall satisfaction dimension is 3.17 on the scale
of 5, which is quite low and could be upgraded only if host institutions take a holistic
approach to enhance their service quality rather than focusing on one or two aspects.
Furthermore, the ANOVA based on the university as a category variable resulted in a
statistically insignificant difference in the quality of teaching services of sample Chinese
universities. However, we found statistically significant differences between the rest of
the service quality dimensions such as advisory service, administrative support, learning
infrastructure, support infrastructure, and overall satisfaction of international students
across the sample universities. These findings posit that, although all these HEIs belong to
the 211 project, there exists a significant difference in the quality of academic and support
services across Chinese universities. Whereas some universities have leapfrogged in the
provision of quality services for foreign students, others lag behind and require concerted
policy efforts to upgrade their academic programs for international students. Hence, this
research provides a comprehensive empirical perspective on how the Chinese HEIs are
moving forward to attain sustainable internationalization of the higher education system.
However, our study was limited to international students studying in Wuhan. Future
researches in this domain can take a diverse sample from various Chinese cities or provinces
to compare the satisfaction of international students. Furthermore, studies can also extend
this line of research by conducting a comparative analysis of foreign students’ satisfaction
studying in Western countries and China. Besides, it will be interesting to account for
the impact of student’s learning styles in influencing their perceived satisfaction [
64
,
65
]
and the role of foreign students in promoting Chinese FDI especially in Belt and Road
countries [46].
Author Contributions:
Conceptualization, F.Y. and A.A.; methodology, F.Y. and Y.Z.; formal analysis,
F.Y.; data curation, A.A.; writing—original draft preparation, F.Y.; writing—review and editing, P.P.
and A.A.; supervision, Y.Z.; project administration and funding acquisition, S.L. All authors have
read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding: This research received no external funding.
Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicable.
Informed Consent Statement: Not applicable.
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 21 of 23
Data Availability Statement:
Primary data obtained through a questionnaire was used in this
research. The data is available upon request.
Acknowledgments:
We acknowledge the support of South China Normal University for financing
the open-access of this project. We would also like to thank three anonymous reviewers for their
insightful comments to enhance the overall quality of this research.
Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
References
1. Owens, T.L. Higher education in the sustainable development goals framework. Eur. J. Educ. 2017,52, 414–420. [CrossRef]
2.
Aleixo, A.M.; Leal, S.; Azeiteiro, U.M. Conceptualization of sustainable higher education institutions, roles, barriers, and
challenges for sustainability: An exploratory study in Portugal. J. Clean. Prod. 2018,172, 1664–1673. [CrossRef]
3. Du, Y.; Arkesteijn, M.H.; den Heijer, A.C.; Song, K. Sustainable Assessment Tools for Higher Education Institutions: Guidelines
for Developing a Tool for China. Sustainability 2020,12, 6501. [CrossRef]
4.
IIE. Inbound Mobility of International Students in China for 2019. Project Atlas, Institute of International Education. 2019.
Available online: https://www.iie.org/en/Research-and-Insights/Project-Atlas/Explore-Data/China/Inbound-Mobility---
Past-Years (accessed on 22 February 2021).
5.
Chen, S.; Lin, Y.; Zhu, X.; Akbar, A. Can International Students in China Affect Chinese OFDI—Empirical Analysis Based on
Provincial Panel Data. Economies 2019,7, 87. [CrossRef]
6.
Wang, C.-N.; Tibo, H.; Nguyen, V.T.; Duong, D.H. Effects of the Performance-Based Research Fund and Other Factors on the
Efficiency of New Zealand Universities: A Malmquist Productivity Approach. Sustainability 2020,12, 5939. [CrossRef]
7.
Deming, W.E.; Edwards, D.W. Quality, Productivity, and Competitive Position; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Center for
Advanced Engineering Study: Cambridge, MA, USA, 1982.
8.
Zeithaml, V.; Parasuraman, A.; Berry, L.L. Delivering Quality Service: Balancing Customer Perceptions and Expectations. Simon and
Schuster; Simon & Schuster: New York, NY, USA, 1990.
9. Harvey, L.; Green, D. Defining quality. Assess. Eval. High. Edu. 1993,18, 9–34. [CrossRef]
10.
Clewes, D.A. student-centered conceptual model of service quality in higher education. Qual. High. Edu.
2003
,9, 69–85. [CrossRef]
11.
Navarro, M.M.; Iglesias, M.P.; Torres, P.R. A new management element for universities: Satisfaction with the offered courses. Int.
J. Educ. Manag. 2005,19, 505–526. [CrossRef]
12.
Vykydal, D.; Folta, M.; Nenadál, J. A Study of Quality Assessment in Higher Education within the Context of Sustainable
Development: A Case Study from Czech Republic. Sustainability 2020,12, 4769. [CrossRef]
13.
Jancey, J.; Burns, S. Institutional factors and the postgraduate student experience. Qual. Assur. Educ.
2013
,21, 311–322. [CrossRef]
14.
Yavas, U.; Benkenstein, M.; Stuhldreier, U. Relationships between service quality and behavioral outcomes: A study of private
bank customers in Germany. Int. J. Bank Market. 2004,22, 144–157. [CrossRef]
15.
Llosa, S.; Orsingher, C.; Carrillat, F.A.; Jaramillo, F.; Mulki, J.P. The validity of the SERVQUAL and SERVPERF scales: A
meta-analytic view of 17 years of research across five continents. Int. J. Serv. Ind. Manag. 2007,18, 472–490.
16.
Wilson, A.; Zeithaml, V.A.; Bitner, M.J.; Gremler, D.D. Services Marketing: Integrating Customer Focus across the Firm; McGraw-Hill
Education: New York, NY, USA, 2012.
17. Bourke, A. A model of the determinants of international trade in higher education. Serv. Ind. J. 2000,20, 110–138. [CrossRef]
18.
Porter, L.W. A study of perceived need satisfactions in bottom and middle management jobs. J. Appl. Psychol.
2010
,45, 1.
[CrossRef]
19.
Parker, C.; Mathews, B.P. Customer satisfaction: Contrasting academic and consumers’ interpretations. Mark. Intel. Plan.
2001
,19,
38–44. [CrossRef]
20. Oliver, R.L. Measurement and evaluation of satisfaction processes in retail settings. J. Retail. 1981,57, 25–48.
21.
Olsen, S.O. Comparative evaluation and the relationship between quality, satisfaction, and repurchase loyalty. J. Acad. Mark. Sci.
2002,30, 240–249. [CrossRef]
22. Morris, E.W.; Winter, M. A theory of family housing adjustment. J. Marriage Fam. 1975,37, 79–88. [CrossRef]
23. Festinger, L. A theory of Cognitive Dissonance; Stanford University Press: Palo Alto, CA, USA, 1962; Volume 2.
24. Anderson, E.W.; Fornell, C. A customer satisfaction research prospectus. Serv. Qual. New Dir. Theory Pract. 1994,14, 239–266.
25.
Kotler, P.; Armstrong, G.; Ang, S.H.; Leong, S.M.; Tan, C.T.; Ho-Ming, O. Principles of Marketing: An Asian Perspective.
Pearson/Prentice-Hall; Pearson Education: Singapore, 2012.
26.
Watson, S. Closing the feedback loop: Ensuring effective action from student feedback. Tert. Educ. Manag.
2003
,9, 145–157.
[CrossRef]
27.
Thomas, E.H.; Galambos, N. What satisfies students? Mining student-opinion data with regression and decision tree analysis.
Res. High. Educ. 2004,45, 251–269. [CrossRef]
28.
Gruber, T.; Fuß, S.; Voss, R.; Gläser-Zikuda, M. Examining student satisfaction with higher education services: Using a new
measurement tool. Int. J. Public Sec. Manag. 2010,23, 105–123. [CrossRef]
29. Urban, E.; Palmer, L.B. International students’ perceptions of the value of US higher education. J. Int. Stud. 2015,6, 153–174.
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 22 of 23
30.
Williams, J.; Cappuccini-Ansfield, G. Fitness for purpose? National and institutional approaches to publicizing the student voice.
Qual. High. Educ. 2007,13, 159–172. [CrossRef]
31.
Wen, W.; Hu, D.; Hao, J. International students’ experiences in China: Does the planned reverse mobility work? Int. J. Educ. Dev.
2018,61, 204–212. [CrossRef]
32.
Lapina, I.; Lapina, I.; Roga, R.; Roga, R.; Müürsepp, P.; Müürsepp, P. Quality of higher education: International students’
satisfaction and learning experience. Int. J. Qual. Serv. Sci. 2016,8, 263–278. [CrossRef]
33.
Sultan, P.; Yin, W.H. Service quality in higher education–a review and research agenda. Int. J. Qual. Serv. Sci.
2010
,2, 259–272.
[CrossRef]
34. Sharabi, M. Managing and improving service quality in higher education. Int. J. Qual. Serv. Sci. 2013,5, 309–320. [CrossRef]
35. Yarimoglu, E.K. A review on dimensions of service quality models. J. Mark. Manag. 2014,2, 79–93.
36.
Quintal, V.A.; Wong, D.H.; Sultan, P.; Wong, H.Y. Service quality in a higher education context: An integrated model. Asia Pac. J.
Mark. Logist. 2012,24, 755–784.
37.
Ali, F.; Zhou, Y.; Hussain, K.; Nair, P.K.; Ragavan, N.A. Does higher education service quality effect student satisfaction, image
and loyalty? Qual. Assur. Educ. 2016,24, 70–94. [CrossRef]
38.
Carlson, J.; O’Cass, A. Exploring the relationships between e-service quality, satisfaction, attitudes and behaviours in content-
driven e-service web sites. J. Serv. Mark. 2010,24, 112–127. [CrossRef]
39.
Gounaris, S.; Dimitriadis, S.; Stathakopoulos, V. An examination of the effects of service quality and satisfaction on customers’
behavioral intentions in e-shopping. J. Serv. Mark. 2010,24, 142–156. [CrossRef]
40.
Helgesen, O.; Nesset, E. What accounts for students’ loyalty? Some field study evidence. Int. J. Educ. Manag.
2007
,21, 126–143.
[CrossRef]
41.
Santini, F.D.; Ladeira, W.J.; Sampaio, C.H.; da Silva Costa, G. Student satisfaction in higher education: A meta-analytic study. J.
Mark. High. Educ. 2017,27, 1–8. [CrossRef]
42.
Elliott, K.M.; Shin, D. Student satisfaction: An alternative approach to assessing this important concept. J. High. Educ. Pol. Manag.
2002,24, 197–209. [CrossRef]
43.
Khosravi, A.A.; Poushaneh, K.; Roozegar, A.; Sohrabifard, N. Determination of Factors Affecting Student Satisfaction of Islamic
Azad University. Procedia Soc. Behav. Sci. 2013,84, 579–583. [CrossRef]
44.
Appleton-Knapp, S.L.; Krentler, K.A. Measuring student expectations and their effects on satisfaction: The importance of
managing student expectations. J. Mark. Educ. 2006,28, 254–264. [CrossRef]
45.
Doménech-Betoret, F.; Abellán-Roselló, L.; Gómez-Artiga, A. Self-efficacy, satisfaction, and academic achievement: The mediator
role of Students’ expectancy-value beliefs. Front. Psychol. 2017,8, 1193. [CrossRef]
46.
Lin, Y.; Yasmin, F.; Chen, S. An Empirical Investigation of the Nexus between International Students in China and Foreign Direct
Investment based on Panel Threshold Model. In Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on Economic Development
and Management Innovation (EDMI 2020), Hothot, China, 20–21 June 2020.
47.
Evans, C.; Stevenson, K. The experience of international nursing students studying for a PhD in the UK: A qualitative study.
BMC Nurs. 2011,10, 1–3. [CrossRef]
48.
Sakurai, Y.; Pyhältö, K.; Lindblom-Ylänne, S. Factors affecting international doctoral students’ academic engagement, satisfaction
with their studies, and dropping out. Int. J. Res. Dev. 2012,3, 99–117. [CrossRef]
49.
Yusoff, M.; McLeay, F.; Woodruffe-Burton, H. Dimensions Driving Business Student Satisfaction in Higher Education. Qual. Assur.
Educ. 2015,23, 86–104. [CrossRef]
50.
Fernandes, C.; Ross, K.; Meraj, M. Understanding Student Satisfaction and Loyalty in the UAE HE Sector. Int. J. Educ. Manag.
2013,27, 613–630. [CrossRef]
51.
Douglas, J.A.; Douglas, A.; McClelland, R.J.; Davies, J. Understanding Student Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction: An Interpretive
Study in the UK Higher Education Context. Stud. High. Educ. 2015,40, 329–349. [CrossRef]
52.
Kashan, A. Measuring Student Satisfaction of Master Level Students; Evidence from University of Sargodha, Pakistan. School of
Doctoral Studies. Eur. Union J. 2012,4, 216–222.
53.
Butt, B.Z.; Ur Rehman, K. A study examining the students’ satisfaction in higher education. Procedia Soc. Behav. Sci.
2010
,2,
5446–5450. [CrossRef]
54.
O’Reilly, A.; Hickey, T.; Ryan, D. The Experience of American International Students in a Large Irish University. J. Int. Stud.
2015
,
5, 87–98.
55.
Arambewela, R.; Hall, J. An empirical model of international student satisfaction. Asia Pac. J. Mark. Logist.
2009
,21, 555–569.
[CrossRef]
56.
Mastoi, A.G.; Saengkrod, L.X. Higher Education Service Quality based on Students’ Satisfaction in People’s Republic of China.
High. Educ. 2019,10, 109–121.
57. Ding, X. Exploring the experiences of international students in China. J. Stud. Int. Educ. 2016,20, 319–338. [CrossRef]
58.
Zhong, B.L.; Zhou, H.T.; Xia, H.H. The Study of students Service Quality Satisfaction in China-foreign Cooperation Institutions.
China High. Educ. Res. 2012,9, 22–26.
59. Rowley, J. Designing student feedback questionnaires. Qual. Assur. Educ. 2003,11, 142–149. [CrossRef]
60.
Douglas, J.; McClelland, R.; Davies, J. The Development of a Conceptual Model of Student Satisfaction with their Experience in
Higher Education. Qual. Assur. Educ. 2008,16, 19–35. [CrossRef]
Sustainability 2021,13, 6008 23 of 23
61.
Douglas, J.; Douglas, A.; Barnes, B. Measuring Student Satisfaction at a UK University. Qual. Assur. Educ.
2006
,14, 251–267.
[CrossRef]
62.
Min, S.; Khoon, C.C.; Tan, B.L. Motives, expectations, perceptions and satisfaction of international students pursuing private
higher education in Singapore. Int. J. Mark. Stud. 2012,4, 122. [CrossRef]
63. Mazziotta, M.; Adriano, P. Use and misuse of PCA for measuring well-being. Soc. Indic. Res. 2019,142, 451–476. [CrossRef]
64.
Yasmin, F.; Akbar, A.; Yan, Z. An Exploration of Learning Styles Preferences of Higher Education Students in Pakistan. Int. J.
Learn. Dev. 2016,6, 49–59. [CrossRef]
65.
Yasmin, F.; Akbar, A.; Hussain, B. The impact of perceptual learning styles on academic performance of masters’level education
students. Sci. Int. 2016,28, 2953–2958.
