What does this research mean for the field?

In higher education, service quality dimensions do not directly impact student retention, but tangibility and responsiveness indirectly drive retention through the full mediation of student satisfaction. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To examine the impact of service quality dimensions on student retention and evaluate the mediating role of student satisfaction in higher education institutions.

September 10, 2026Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Gulf PerspectivesOpen Access

The impact of service quality on student satisfaction and retention in higher education

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To examine the impact of service quality dimensions on student retention and evaluate the mediating role of student satisfaction in higher education institutions.
Administered an online survey based on a modified SERVQUAL instrument to students across public and private universities in the United Arab Emirates (N=196).
Analyzed the relationships between five service quality dimensions (tangibility, empathy, responsiveness, reliability, assurance), satisfaction, and retention using structural equation modelling.
None of the five service quality dimensions demonstrated a direct significant effect on student retention.
Tangibility, empathy, and responsiveness significantly and positively influenced student satisfaction, whereas reliability and assurance showed no significant impact.
Student satisfaction fully mediated the effects of tangibility and responsiveness on student retention.

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Implication

Survey study reveals that student satisfaction fully mediates service quality impacts on retention in university students, indicating institutional support drives persistence indirectly.

Cite This Study

Alsadi et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6aa27b2658559d80afc74201 https://doi.org/10.1108/lthe-09-2025-0068

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Implication

Survey study reveals that student satisfaction fully mediates service quality impacts on retention in university students, indicating institutional support drives persistence indirectly.

The impact of service quality on student satisfaction and retention in higher education

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Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

The impact of service quality on student satisfaction and retention in higher education

Key Points

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

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