Developing student satisfaction perception model for public and private universities in Malaysia

The objective of this research is to propose a tested and validated model based on a variety of customer satisfaction perceptions measures in Malaysia, in both private and public university settings. A convenient sample of 1,200 business students drawn from three public and three private universities was selected to collect and analyse data, using a self-administered questionnaire for this purpose. The development of a holistic model for student satisfaction perceptions and loyalty would help to fill the relevant gaps in the literature. Study recommendations would enable university senior management in Malaysia to benefit by knowing the gaps that should receive the greatest attention in order to gain competitive and comparative advantages. Our proposed model calls upon higher education institutions to place more emphasis on the quality of educational outcomes, and be student-oriented, rather than production oriented (quality vs. quantity). This in turn will lead to a noticeable enhancement of higher education output.