International Student Satisfaction Research Articles

Predicting international student satisfaction in Chinese universities: A comparison between undergraduate and graduate students

AbstractWith the rapid growth in the number of international students coming to China, improving the quality and effectiveness of international student education has become a new policy priority. This study investigates the quality issue from the perspective of student satisfaction, with a focus on how satisfaction varies by academic level. We analysed data from a national survey involving 1,322 international students studying at Chinese colleges and universities using ordered logit regression models. The results indicate that most international students are satisfied with the host institutions. Both individual and environmental factors are significantly associated with the level of student satisfaction and these associations are different among undergraduate and graduate students. These findings underscore the importance of tailoring support to meet the distinct needs of students at different academic stages and suggest that universities can enhance student satisfaction by fostering a supportive interpersonal environment.

Exploring degree-seeking international student satisfaction through the example of a Hungarian university

AbstractInternational student satisfaction has become a widely studied topic with the emergence of English-language study programs in higher education institutions (HEIs). Numerous studies arose in connection with understanding what factors influence international student satisfaction, determining service elements as crucial indicators of student satisfaction. There is limited research on understanding international student satisfaction in Hungary, explicitly focusing on degree-seeking mobility. Therefore, the current study analyses international students' satisfaction through the example of a Hungarian university to uncover the factors affecting satisfaction and to determine points for improvement of unsatisfied needs. Based on the questionnaire findings, an importance–satisfaction analysis (ISA) was conducted to depict international students' pain points visually. The focus group discussion and the affinity diagrams revealed that international students need more free-time activities and opportunities to connect outside the university. In addition, usability testing highlighted crucial missing information from the university mentor organisation webpage, while the results of the online questionnaire showed that there is an urgent need to develop university services. Besides determining points for improvement, this study provides insights into utilising a comprehensive, novel methodology in researching degree-seeking mobile students in Hungary.

A STUDY ON SATISFACTION OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN CHINA

Currently, China has become one of the countries with the largest increase in the number of international students in the world, but the current evaluation of the quality of higher education in China does not focus on the satisfaction of international students in China. Therefore, this study examines the quality of education in China from the perspective of international students. The current situation provides ideas for university development to improve the quality of education for studying abroad in China. Based on the research on student satisfaction and the actual experience of managing international students, the theoretical aspects of international student satisfaction in China were constructed according to five indicators: hardware, teacher qualifications, application achievements, management services, and learning outcomes, and the International Students Program in China was developed accordingly. The satisfaction scale is used to conduct surveys and collect data, and to find out the status quo of international students’ satisfaction in China and its influencing factors. Through descriptive statistics and analysis of variance, the study suggests that the current international students in China are highly satisfied with Chinese education and scholarship, and that the level of knowledge of the Chinese language could significantly affect the satisfaction of international students in China.

The Influence of TQM Successful Implementation on International Student Satisfaction in Malaysian Universities

This study aims to examine the influence of TQM (Total Quality Management) successful implementation on international students’ satisfaction within Malaysian universities. A questionnaire was developed to collect the data. TQM is measured by (leadership, individual management and focus on customer) as the independent variable, and international students' satisfaction is measured by (administration, course design, and interaction) as the dependent variables. The sample of 192 participants who study in different Malaysian universities from non-Malaysian citizens were selected using convenient sampling. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive means and regression. The results show that only all three dimensions of TQM successful implementation have a significant influence on international students’ satisfaction in Malaysian universities. Limitation of this study is noted including the generalizability of the findings within Malaysian universities. Suggestions for future research include an examination of other variables that possibly influence students’ satisfaction.

The contributions of teacher intercultural competence to academic satisfaction and engagement among international students in China and Thailand

Purpose: The contributions of teacher intercultural competence to educational outcomes, including student self-efficacy, engagement, and academic satisfaction, were investigated in this study.
 Design/Methodology/Approach: The study applies the quantitative method using primary data from the survey collected from 400 international undergraduate students in China and Thailand. The partial least squares structural equation modeling is used to analyze the relationships of variables between conceptual constructions.
 Findings: The results indicate that teacher intercultural competence has positive and significant effects on international student self-efficacy and engagement but has no significant effect on international student academic satisfaction.
 Conclusion: This study provides new insight into international student self-efficacy, engagement, and academic satisfaction from the perspective of teacher intercultural competence.
 Research Limitations/Implications: In this study, undergraduate international students were selected only from China and Thailand, which is considered a research limitation. Thus, increasing the generalizability of the whole population by collecting data from more universities is suggested for future research.
 Practical Implications: Educational policymakers or university administrators should improve international student educational outcomes from the perspective of teacher education and professional development. Teacher intercultural competence should be considered a significant part of teacher education and professional development. If the teachers understand the cultural or behavioral differences from the perspective of students, they can construct a more inclusive and effective academic environment. 
 Contribution to Literature: This study proposed and confirmed the mediating role of international student self-efficacy, which brings clarification to the formational mechanism of how teacher intercultural competence affects international student engagement and academic satisfaction.

International Students’ Satisfaction with Online Learning and Faculty Engagement during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Northwestern Chinese Universities

International students in China had not anticipated the unprecedented disruption to their educational experiences caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In China, COVID-19 movement control on campus was managed solely by university authorities. Online teaching and learning following multilevel procedures were implemented for centralized emergency response, decision-making, and information dissemination. This study examined international studentsʼ academic and non-academic experiences in northwestern Chinese universities during the pandemic. Kuh’s engagement theory of learning and the Keaveney and Young’s Satisfaction Model were adapted and employed for insights into student satisfaction. The study was informed by Creswell’s “exploratory sequential” mixed methods research design. The in-depth interviews with selected students from three universities with the highest international student intakes in northwest China yielded four factors affecting students’ satisfaction, namely, online learning experience, in class-interaction, out-of-class faculty-students engagement, and out-ofclass student initiative. A validated questionnaire was distributed following the interviews at three universities. 410 international students completed the questionnaire. The analysis revealed a moderate level of satisfaction with both online learning and the faculty-students engagement during the pandemic. However, international students’ expectations differed according to their respective backgrounds and disciplines. Undergraduates yearned for more interpersonal communication, while postgraduate students desired academic engagement during online learning and fulfilment of graduation criteria. These findings should help the universities in Northwest China with strategic planning and the formulation of management policies pertaining to international student satisfaction.

Development and empirical study of international student satisfaction model of online course learning interaction in chinese universities.

COVID-19 has disrupted education internationalisation around the world, making online learning a necessary means of learning. This study proposes an International Student Satisfaction Index Model (ISSM) on the interaction of online international courses in Chinese universities, aiming to investigate the potential factors that affect international students' online learning interaction. Based on the large-scale online course practice in Chinese universities during the pandemic, this study adopted a stratified random sampling method to select 320 international students participating in online courses as a research sample. The model proposed in this study includes four antecedent variables, one target variable, and one outcome variable. This study is quantitative, using SPSS26.0 and AMOS 21.0 to analyse the collected empirical data, and the results verify the nine research hypotheses proposed and the applicability of the online course international students' satisfaction index model (ISSM) proposed. The research results provide strong theoretical and practical support for international students' satisfaction with online course learning interaction, which is conducive to the reform of online courses and improving international students' retention rate in the online course.

Foundation programmes and international student satisfaction: cases from the United Kingdom, Australia, and China

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to analyse the differences in the International Foundation Programmes in Australia, China and the United Kingdom and to explore different University Foundation Programmes’ effect on international student satisfaction, learning motivation and their performance in higher education. Through this research, it can be seen that improving the interaction between teachers and international students in the foundation stage, helping international students establish a certain sense of belonging, and integrating into the local culture is considered a key factor in improving foundation students’ learning motivation and their satisfaction. The discussion of the research results suggests that some countries with imperfect international foundation courses should establish a more diverse curriculum system and hold highly interactive cultural activities to make it easier for students to integrate into the local culture, so as to help international students maintain a positive initiative and attitude when entering undergraduate studies.

Does International Accreditation Provide for Greater Enrolment, Program Completion, Employment, and Employer Satisfaction?

Aim: The current research was conducted to examine the potential influence of international accreditation of universities on the enhancement of students’ enrolment and educational quality, employment opportunities, and employer satisfaction. The study also contextualized the findings to focus on the case of Guyana.
 Methodology: A secondary qualitative research methodology was used to conduct this research. It comprised using an inductive approach to gather and study the most contemporary and relevant secondary literature on the subject. Afterward, through thematic analysis, major qualitative finding and their patterns were segmented in the form of two major themes.
 Findings: This study discovered that international accreditation benefits both business satisfaction and student satisfaction. It was discovered that the planning and self-study evaluation activities for accreditation operate as a catalyst for quality improvement practices. The results also imply that consistent efforts to satisfy requirements for international accreditation can raise the level of instruction given to pupils. It is yet unknown, though, how certification will impact Guyana's employment prospects and employee happiness.

International Students' Satisfaction with Online Learning during the COVID-19 at a South Korean University

Previous research has emphasised the importance of online learning during COVID-19 for local students. However, previous research has not fully explored how international students in higher education perceive online learning. To fill the gap in the literature, this research specifically focuses on international students' satisfaction level with online learning during COVID-19 at a South Korean university. In the present study, international student satisfaction with online learning was assessed utilising a research instrument previously employed by Almusharraf and Khahro (2020). A total of 44 undergraduate and 215 graduate students participated in the survey via convenience sampling, and structural equation modeling was used to analyse the data. The study results indicated that gender played a significant role in satisfaction with online learning, that previous online learning experience did not predict satisfaction, that undergraduate and graduate students were satisfied with online learning, but that only graduate students perceived school support as important. In addition, the results showed that international students were satisfied with their online learning regarding instructors' online teaching methods and school support. Finally, the implications of providing effective online education for international students are discussed.

International Student Satisfaction: A Comparative Analysis of Student Perceptions, Expectation and Reality, and their Relationship with Recruitment Policies and Approach

International Student Satisfaction: A Comparative Analysis of Student Perceptions, Expectation and Reality, and their Relationship with Recruitment Policies and Approach

Mapping the relationship between virtual supervision, online program quality, and international student satisfaction in COVID-19 pandemic World: does e-learning quality mediates the relationship

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 outbreak has dramatically changed all spheres of humans and caused the interruption of educational settings around the globe. It necessitated the rapid transition of virtual supervision and online service delivery internationally. The present study constructed a model using equity theory and the D&M (DeLone and McLean) model to analyze the relationship between dependent and independent variables. Twenty-one carefully chosen items fell under four domains: online program quality, supervisor supervision, e-learning quality, and student satisfaction. The author performed an empirical analysis on a sample of 503 international students registered in Master's and Ph.D. programs from 18 universities in six provinces of China during the pandemic through an online survey. Results revealed student satisfaction with the assistance and support from supervisors in the virtual space, while online program quality showed weak links in the model. The full mediating effect of e-learning quality was observed.

Can Personality Traits Predict Students’ Satisfaction with Blended Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic?

The present study aimed to assess the impact of personality traits on student satisfaction with blended learning which many higher education institutions have adopted since the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. Personality traits were assessed using the International Personality Item Pool and student satisfaction was recorded on a 7-point Likert scale. Data analysis of 72 undergraduate students revealed that low extraversion and high neuroticism predicted higher levels of student satisfaction. Implications are discussed considering the current pandemic with a view of increasing student satisfaction and in-turn improving National Student Survey results that impact on Teaching Excellence Framework scores and league tables.

Impact of Academic and Non-Academic Service Quality on International Students Satisfaction in Chinese Universities

Satisfied students are easy to retain and perform better in academics. That consequently affects higher educational institutions’ success and reputation. To become a top higher educational institution, every institution tries to provide the best academic facilities and services to its students. However, non-academic services are not given equal importance in academic settings, which could significantly determine students’ satisfaction. Therefore, this paper aims to examine the impact of academic and non-academic service quality on international student satisfaction in China. This study followed a deductive approach and is carried out in a non-contrived setting. The convenience sampling technique was used in the study for data collection. A total of 143 responses from the international students is received through an online survey. Descriptive and Structured Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis techniques were performed for analyzing the variables. The results indicate that both academic and non-academic service quality equally contributes to student satisfaction. The findings of this study reveal that non-academic services aspects are as important as academic services when it comes to affecting student satisfaction. This study highlights the significance of different service quality dimensions for student satisfaction which is sometimes not given equal importance in the educational environment. The trend of the internationalization of education in China is increasing rapidly. The higher educational institutions in China need to acknowledge different aspects of students’ satisfaction to become a top higher-level educational destination for international students.

Rethinking Methodologies: Implications for Research on International Students

Research in international student success, satisfaction, and challenges seems still to be constructed around the colonial, imperial paradigm. Informed by deficit models of language, culture, and literacy teaching, such research portrays international students’ challenges in terms of deficiency; discounts other languages, cultures, and literacy education; and reinstitutes the progressive and paternalistic role of the West, reifying its linguistic and cultural superiority. This essay interrupts the still dominant narrative that recreates the old binaries in two ways: (a) It frontloads the need to adopt strength-based approaches to counter dominant methodological paradigms from which much of knowledge about culturally and linguistically different/disadvantaged (CLDI) students is derived, and (b) based on my own ethnographic study on a South Asian immigrant population in Canada, it demonstrates that what the old paradigm views as deficits can and should be the very measures from which to appraise student success and satisfaction. Accordingly, the article’s main objectives are twofold: (a) expose the weaknesses of the deficit models of language, culture, and competence and (b) stress the need to reshape international student studies in higher education as a field of inquiry by foregrounding appreciative models and methodologies.

Exploring the Influence of Teacher-Student Interaction Strength, Interaction Time, Interaction Distance and Interaction Content on International Student Satisfaction with Online Courses

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in January 2020, international online courses in universities in China have begun to develop on a large scale. This study explores the related influencing factors of teacher-student interaction on international student satisfaction with online courses in Chinese universities. It reveals which aspects of teacher-student interaction in online classes positively correlate with international students' satisfaction. This study is of a quantitative nature with four (independent variables (IVs) and one dependent variable (DV). The four IVs are the four dimensions of teacher-student interaction, namely interaction strength (IS), interaction time (IT), interaction content (IC), and interaction distance (ID). The DV is international student satisfaction (ISS) with online courses. This study was conducted in a university in Zhejiang Province, China. To answer the questionnaire, one hundred international students who were unable to enter China during COVID-19 were selected by stratified random sampling. The study used SPSS 21 to conduct descriptive and multiple linear regression analysis on the collected quantitative data. A total of 93 valid questionnaire data was collected. The analysis results showed that both IVs (IC & ID) have a positive correlation with the DV (ISS). Therefore, under the condition of limited equal resources, online teachers may give priority to the teacher-student interaction factors that have the greatest impact on the satisfaction of international students, carefully design teacher-student interaction activities, and maximise the satisfaction of international students.

What really matters Factors impacting international student satisfaction: the case of the UK

What really matters Factors impacting international student satisfaction: the case of the UK

What really matters Factors impacting international student satisfaction: the case of the UK

What really matters Factors impacting international student satisfaction: the case of the UK

The Effect of Satisfaction on Trust, Social Identification and Loyalty Amongst International Students in Malaysian Public Universities

This study was conducted to examine the effects of student’s satisfaction on student’s trust, social identification, and loyalty amongst international students in Malaysian public higher institutions. It was conducted due to low research outputs on these variables among international students in Malaysia. A theoretical literature review was conducted, and an adapted survey of Student Loyalty Model was used to collect the data from four public universities in Malaysia, while regression analysis was performed to check for the effect of satisfaction on other variables. The findings showed that student’s trust, social identification, and loyalty can predict student’s satisfaction. International student satisfaction has a strong effect on trust (B=0.401), but a weak effect on social identification (B=0.220) and loyalty (B=0.131). The results indicated that the gaps in international students’ satisfaction can be minimized by improving the aspects of student loyalty and identification with the university through campus engagement and non-academic programs. The study also recommended carrying out further research within a larger population of students in public and private universities to compare their perceptions and to benefit from the experiences and successes of other international education destinations.

International and Domestic Graduate Student Satisfaction with Life

With increasing mental health problems witnessed among students, adequately addressing their well-being is becoming important on college campuses. This study compares international and domestic graduate students in the USA on domains that are relevant to both student groups (perfectionistic personality, academic stress) and how these factors combinedly predict satisfaction with life. With 531 international and 359 domestic graduate students, results found support for perfectionism and academic stress predicting life satisfaction in both groups with notable similarities and differences. For perfectionists in both student groups, the level of academic stress was an important factor that determines satisfaction with life. Interestingly, for international students only, a perfectionism dimension that has been traditionally considered adaptive (“Standards”) functioned in a maladaptive way. Findings from this study suggest that international and domestic students share similarities and differences that should be noted.