Abstract:
Studies examining how universities could leverage service quality to enhance student
academic achievement are largely scarce. Informed by the HEdPERF and HEDQUAL
models, this study explored student perceptions of university service quality and academic
achievement. Using purposive sampling, 11 student participants from a
Zimbabwean public university were interviewed to respond to the research questions.
Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis
was employed to identify the educational quality dimensions that were aligned with
academic success. These were academic aspects, support services, access-related quality
and library services. In addition, the sub-themes that emerged from each of these
themes were discussed. The study also revealed service quality gaps undermining student
learning experiences and academic outcomes. These were inadequate faculty
support, learning infrastructure gaps and limited access to subscription-based electronic
library resources. To enhance student achievement, Zimbabwean public universities
should adequately resource and reward academic faculty as well as subscribing
on premium electronic library resources. In addition, universities should invest further
in modern learning infrastructure and enhancing ease of contact between students
and academic staff. This study provides practical contributions to university administrators,
educators and policymakers seeking to bridge service quality gaps and augment
student academic achievement.
IMPACT STATEMENT
With student educational opportunities advancing globally in recent years, higher
educational institutions need to ensure that their customers (students) receive superior
learning experiences that significantly augment their academic achievement. The
present study investigates linkages between educational service quality and student
academic achievement at a public university in a developing economy. Interestingly,
the study demonstrates that university service quality is a key lever on academic outcomes
and themes such as academic quality, support service quality, access quality
and library service quality were aligned with academic achievement. This paper offers
rich insights to university managers seeking to bridge service quality gaps to enhance
student achievement in higher education, especially those in underdeveloped
contexts.
