SERVICE QUALITY AND STUDENT SATISFACTION IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN SAUDI ARABIA

This paper reviewed the literature in how service quality influences student satisfaction in higher education institutions (HEIs) of Saudi Arabia. HEIs in Saudi Arabia have the task of providing the teeming youth population yearning for high quality education services and also provide for the Saudi Arabia's manpower needs for achieving its Vision 2030 programmes. Several studies on customer satisfaction and service quality were thus reviewed. The review suggests that service quality and student satisfaction are closely associated, and services quality tends to influence student satisfaction. Also, it was found that all the five dimensions of the SERVQUAL model impact on student satisfaction but at varying degrees. The review concluded by recommending that universities in Saudi Arabia should endeavour to fulfil all the five dimensions of the SERVQUAL model in order to meet student expectations and thereby have a high student satisfaction rate.