Service quality in higher education: The role of student expectations

The study aims to develop a deeper understanding of the teaching qualities of effective lecturers that students desire and to uncover the constructs that underlie these desire expectations to reveal the underlying benefits that students look for. An empirical study using the means-end approach and two laddering techniques (personal interviews and laddering questionnaires) gives a valuable first insight into the desired qualities of lecturers. While the personal laddering interviews produced more depth in understanding, the results of the two laddering methods are broadly similar. The study results indicate that students want lecturers to be knowledgeable, enthusiastic, approachable, and friendly. Students predominately want to encounter valuable teaching experiences to be able to pass tests and to be prepared for their profession. This study also shows that students' academic interests motivate them less than the vocational aspects of their studies. (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier Inc.