INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SATISFACTION AND INSTITUTIONAL REPUTATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELLING ANALYSIS OF SERVICE QUALITY DIMENSIONS

Service quality and student satisfaction represent critical determinants of institutional reputation and competitive advantage in global higher education markets. This study investigates the structural relationships among higher education service quality dimensions, international student satisfaction, and institutional reputation using data from 387 international students across 28 institutions in diverse geographic contexts. Employing structural equation modelling (SEM) with maximum likelihood estimation, the research examines both academic and non-academic service quality dimensions as predictors of student satisfaction and their indirect effects on institutional reputation. Findings reveal that non-academic service quality dimensions (campus facilities, student support services, accommodation, cultural integration programs) exert significantly stronger direct effects on student satisfaction (β=0.68, p<0.001) compared to academic service quality dimensions (teaching quality, curriculum relevance, academic support) (β=0.42, p<0.001). Student satisfaction demonstrates strong mediation effects, accounting for 58% of the total effect between non-academic service quality and institutional reputation. Model fit indices confirm acceptable model specification (χ²/df=2.14, CFI=0.927, RMSEA=0.068). Geographic region moderates some relationships, with international students in developing country contexts assigning higher importance weights to non-academic support services. These findings challenge prevailing assumptions that academic quality predominantly shapes student satisfaction and institutional reputation, suggesting that holistic student experiences encompassing support services, cultural integration, and campus environment prove equally or more influential. The research provides evidence-based guidance for institutional resource allocation and strategy prioritization in competitive international student recruitment contexts.