Students’ perceptions of service quality at a South African Traditional University and a University of Technology

Abstract

The importance of service quality in service marketing is widely acknowledged by many practitioners and academics worldwide, yet there seems to be limited research on service quality in higher education institutions (HEIs). Therefore, in order to gain an understanding of students’ learning experiences, this paper reports on a study undertaken to determine students’ perceptions of the level of service quality delivered at a traditional university and a university of technology. The study was conducted at two selected higher education institutions located within the Gauteng Province of South Africa. A descriptive research design was employed, whereby a questionnaire survey consisting of item indicators adopted from the SERVPERF model was conducted to analyse the relevant first-, second- and third-year business and marketing management students’ perceptions of each higher education institutions’ respective business schools. The results of the paper suggest that differences exist between the students’ perceptions of service quality between the two types of institutions, with the students indicating a significantly more positive perception of service quality delivery at the traditional university. These findings provide insight into students’ perceptions of the level of service delivery at two types of South African HEIs.