Loyalty in Digital Learning: Exploring Service Quality, Satisfaction, and Trust in Open Flexible Distance Education

In the rapidly changing field of higher education, global events have expedited the acceptance of online distance learning, leading to a crucial emphasis on assessing students' loyalty. In the context of Malaysian higher education institutions, there is a constant need for adaptation and innovation in online education to attract, retain, and assure student loyalty and success in this changing landscape. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the immediate effect of service quality, trust, and satisfaction on students' loyalty in online distance learning higher education institutions. The findings of a systematic survey conducted with 5051 individuals enrolled in online distance-learning higher education institutions reveal that trust had the most significant impact on loyalty, followed by satisfaction and service quality. These factors demonstrate their relative importance in determining students' loyalty within the distinct context of online distance-learning higher education institutions, aligning with the principles of the Expectancy-Confirmation Model (ECM). The results underscore the need to use specific strategies to enhance student satisfaction, trust, and service quality, with a special focus on improving satisfaction primarily in online open distance learning higher education settings.