DETERMINANTS OF SERVICE QUALITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION

The purpose of the study is to report on an in-depth exploration of service quality in a higher education and to evaluate the relative efficacy of two measuring instruments of service quality (namely Higher Education PERF-ormance (HEd-PERF) and SERVPERF within a higher education setting. After a pilot test, data were collected from 1494 students at University J.J.Strossmayer and were subjected to factor analysis. Results indicate that student’s perceptions of service quality are changing over the period of study, class attendance and faculty achievement. Students on the last years of study, good attendance record and better grades are satisfied with service quality of higher education. A principal component analysis was carried out on the total sample, and yielded with another factor structure than the authors suggested. Further research is required to consider the experience of lecturers in relation to delivering service quality has been highlighted as a vital aspect in achieving a high-quality service. Research is needed to be extended at graduate students with working experiences who are much more objective in theirs evaluations of the importance of service quality in higher education.