Perceived Unfairness in University Settings: Findings from a Qualitative Study among Students in Germany

Abstract

In universities, perceived unfairness is associated with negative outcomes, such as dissatisfaction, lower engagement, higher drop-out and stress, and poorer mental health. It is, however, still unclear which aspects constitute perceived unfairness in students. Therefore, this qualitative study explored students’ perceptions of unfairness with twenty semi-structured interviews. The interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed following Mayring’s qualitative content analysis. A set of main codes and subcodes was developed and refined. The identified sources of unfairness can be summarized as organizational aspects, such as the registration and administration processes, the treatment of students, including the behavioural patterns of lecturers and university staff, and the individual situation of students. This study identified different sources of perceived unfairness in the university setting, potentially related to less engagement, higher drop-out rates, and worse mental health of the students. To keep students engaged and healthy, it seems beneficial to address the sources of unfairness.