Exploring distance learning in higher education: satisfaction and insights from Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Romania, Turkey

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Education, notably higher education, faced a significant challenge during the last period. Our data exploratory study aims to provide insights into the key factors that define students’ Distance Learning (DL) in the current period. Based on the main findings, we justify our bold proposition for the current era of distance and blended learning in Higher Education. Our research study aims to understand cultural and national differences in four countries: Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Romania. It contributes to the theory of DL with a model of six hermeneutic factors for the satisfaction of using the DL method. It investigated and confirmed the capacity of the components to explain 60% of the DL satisfaction variance. Our research study also emphasized the interpretation of the essential findings and the drafting of bold propositions for the DL practice, emphasising academic environments. We identified significant areas of improvement, and we suggested the orchestration of combined efforts. Our research promotes the strategic deployment of DL in the current context as a resilient strategy of institutions for high-impact training and targeting of huge audiences, with emphasis on the deployment of new tools and teaching methods customized for a new, unique value proposition of the DL.