Student Satisfaction in a Vietnamese-Austrian Joint Degree Program: A Four-Domain Analysis
Article Integrity
Article Metrics
59
Article Views
33
PDF Downloads
0
Crossref Citations
Abstract
Evidence on student experience in long-running joint degrees in Vietnam remains limited. This study examined associations between four program-quality domains and satisfaction in the Tourism and Travel Management joint degree offered by Hanoi University and IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems. A cross-sectional online survey produced 101 valid responses from current students and alumni representing cohorts from 2013-2025. Five-point Likert-type data were summarized descriptively and analyzed using multiple linear regression in SPSS 26. Overall satisfaction was M = 3.91 (SD = 0.79), with 73% satisfied or very satisfied. Academic and teaching quality had the largest reported coefficient (0.42, p < .001), followed by student support services (0.31, p = .002), learning environment and facilities (0.25, p = .011), and program image and reputation (0.18, p = .037). Lecturer quality received the highest item mean (M = 4.15), whereas classroom facilities received the lowest (M = 3.41); program recognition had the lowest satisfaction percentage (49%). The results support prioritizing teaching quality, career-facing support, and learning conditions. Because the sample was nonprobabilistic and the available analysis omitted full reliability, model-fit, and diagnostic statistics, the results are interpreted as program-specific associations rather than causal effects.
IMPACT STATEMENT
Program leaders can use these results to sequence improvements without treating satisfaction as a measure of learning achievement. The program should preserve strong teaching and accessible staff, then focus on classroom conditions, career guidance, and evidence that makes program recognition and graduate pathways more visible. In joint-degree settings, this approach links resource decisions to the conditions that support student participation and professional preparation.
References
1
[1] W. H. Wong and E. Chapman, "Student satisfaction and interaction in higher education," Higher Education, vol. 85, no. 5, pp. 957-978, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-022-00874-0
2
[2] V. Teeroovengadum, R. Nunkoo, C. Grönroos, T. Kamalanabhan, and A. K. Seebaluck, "Higher education service quality, student satisfaction and loyalty," Quality Assurance in Education, vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 427-445, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1108/qae-01-2019-0003
3
[3] Q. Gu and G. Lu, "Factors influencing the satisfaction level of college students in China: Literature analysis based on grounded theory," Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 13, Art. no. 1023420, 2023. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1023420
4
[4] Y. S. Hwang and Y. K. Choi, "Higher education service quality and student satisfaction, institutional image, and behavioral intention," Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal, vol. 47, no. 2, pp. 1-12, 2019. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.7622
5
[5] S. Wilkins and M. S. Balakrishnan, "Assessing student satisfaction in transnational higher education," International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 143-156, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513541311297568
6
[6] S. Wilkins, M. S. Balakrishnan, and J. Huisman, "Student satisfaction and student perceptions of quality at international branch campuses in the United Arab Emirates," Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, vol. 34, no. 5, pp. 543-556, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080x.2012.716003
7
[7] R. H. Merola, R. Hofman, E. Jansen, and R. Coelen, "Making the Grade: Do International Branch Campuses and Their Home Campuses Differ in International Student Satisfaction With the Academic Experience?," Journal of Studies in International Education, vol. 26, no. 4, pp. 472-492, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315321995524
8
[8] S. Wilkins, J. Hazzam, J. Ireland, and R. Kana, "International branch campuses: the influences of country of origin and campus environment on students' institution choices and satisfaction," Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, vol. 46, no. 2, pp. 182-199, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080x.2023.2272231
9
[9] J. J. Cronin and S. A. Taylor, "Measuring Service Quality: A Reexamination and Extension," Journal of Marketing, vol. 56, no. 3, pp. 55-68, 1992. https://doi.org/10.2307/1252296
10
[10] F. Abdullah, "Measuring service quality in higher education: HEdPERF versus SERVPERF," Marketing Intelligence & Planning, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 31-47, 2006. https://doi.org/10.1108/02634500610641543
11
[11] M. Yusoff, F. McLeay, and H. Woodruffe-Burton, "Dimensions driving business student satisfaction in higher education," Quality Assurance in Education, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 86-104, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1108/qae-08-2013-0035
12
[12] V. Teeroovengadum, T. Kamalanabhan, and A. K. Seebaluck, "Measuring service quality in higher education," Quality Assurance in Education, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 244-258, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1108/qae-06-2014-0028
13
[13] H. Alves and M. Raposo, "Conceptual Model of Student Satisfaction in Higher Education," Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, vol. 18, no. 5, pp. 571-588, 2007. https://doi.org/10.1080/14783360601074315
14
[14] A. Douglas, R. McClelland, and J. D. Davies, "The development of a conceptual model of student satisfaction with their experience in higher education," Quality Assurance in Education, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 19-35, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1108/09684880810848396
15
[15] T. Gruber, S. Fuß, R. Voss, and M. Gläser-Zikuda, "Examining student satisfaction with higher education services," International Journal of Public Sector Management, vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 105-123, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513551011022474
16
[16] O. W. DeShields, A. Kara, and E. Kaynak, "Determinants of business student satisfaction and retention in higher education: applying Herzberg's two-factor theory," International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 128-139, 2005. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513540510582426
17
[17] R. M. Brown and T. Mazzarol, "The importance of institutional image to student satisfaction and loyalty within higher education," Higher Education, vol. 58, no. 1, pp. 81-95, 2009. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-008-9183-8
18
[18] F. Ali, Y. Zhou, K. Hussain, P. Nair, and N. A. Ragavan, "Does higher education service quality effect student satisfaction, image and loyalty?," Quality Assurance in Education, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 70-94, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1108/qae-02-2014-0008
19
[19] L. Masserini, M. Bini, and M. Pratesi, "Do Quality of Services and Institutional Image Impact Students' Satisfaction and Loyalty in Higher Education?," Social Indicators Research, vol. 146, no. 1-2, pp. 91-115, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-018-1927-y
20
[20] T. Hennig-Thurau, M. F. Langer, and U. Hansen, "Modeling and Managing Student Loyalty," Journal of Service Research, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 331-344, 2001. https://doi.org/10.1177/109467050134006
21
[21] Ø. Helgesen and E. Nesset, "Images, Satisfaction and Antecedents: Drivers of Student Loyalty? A Case Study of a Norwegian University College," Corporate Reputation Review, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 38-59, 2007. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.crr.1550037
22
[22] L. C. Duque, "A framework for analysing higher education performance: students' satisfaction, perceived learning outcomes, and dropout intentions," Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, vol. 25, no. 1-2, pp. 1-21, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1080/14783363.2013.807677
23
[23] E. Kahu, "Framing student engagement in higher education," Studies in Higher Education, vol. 38, no. 5, pp. 758-773, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2011.598505
24
[24] V. Tinto, "Research and Practice of Student Retention: What Next?," Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 1-19, 2006. https://doi.org/10.2190/4ynu-4tmb-22dj-an4w
25
[25] J. Knight, "Transnational Education Remodeled," Journal of Studies in International Education, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 34-47, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315315602927
26
[26] K. H. Mok, "The Rise of Transnational Higher Education in Asia: Student Mobility and Studying Experiences in Singapore and Malaysia," Higher Education Policy, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 225-241, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1057/hep.2012.6
27
[27] L. Dowling-Hetherington, "Transnational Higher Education and the Factors Influencing Student Decision-Making: The Experience of an Irish University," Journal of Studies in International Education, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 291-313, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315319826320
28
[28] J. Yu, "Consuming UK Transnational Higher Education in China: A Bourdieusian Approach to Chinese Students' Perceptions and Experiences," Sociological Research Online, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 222-239, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1177/1360780420957040
29
[29] D. Liu, K. Wimpenny, A. DeWinter, and P. Harrison, "Students' perceptions and experiences of teaching and learning in transnational higher education in China: implications of the intercultural dialogue framework," Teaching in Higher Education, vol. 28, no. 7, pp. 1465-1483, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2021.1900817
30
[30] K. Dai, K. Matthews, and V. Reyes, "Chinese students' assessment and learning experiences in a transnational higher education programme," Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, vol. 45, no. 1, pp. 70-81, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2019.1608907
31
[31] K. A. Yafei, R. Ayoubi, and M. Crawford, "The Student Experiences of Teaching and Learning in Transnational Higher Education: A Phenomenographic Study from a British-Qatari Partnership," Journal of Studies in International Education, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 408-426, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1177/10283153211070111
32
[32] K. Yılmaz and V. Temizkan, "The Effects of Educational Service Quality and Socio-Cultural Adaptation Difficulties on International Students' Higher Education Satisfaction," SAGE Open, vol. 12, no. 1, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221078316
33
[33] E. Barrios, A. L. Gutiérrez, and L. A. López-Agudo, "Language-related perceptions: How do they predict student satisfaction with a partial English Medium Instruction in Higher Education?," Journal of English for Academic Purposes, vol. 57, Art. no. 101121, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2022.101121
34
[34] C. Darawong and M. Sandmaung, "Service quality enhancing student satisfaction in international programs of higher education institutions: a local student perspective," Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 268-283, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841241.2019.1647483
35
[35] M. Moslehpour, K. Y. Chau, J. Zheng, A. N. Hanjani, and M. Hoang, "The mediating role of international student satisfaction in the influence of higher education service quality on institutional reputation in Taiwan," International Journal of Engineering Business Management, vol. 12, Art. no. 184797902097195, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1177/1847979020971955
36
[36] S. Wilkins, J. Hazzam, and J. Ireland, "Servicescape in transnational higher education: the effects of campus design, physical environment and facilities on student experience and satisfaction," Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 992-1011, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841241.2022.2139792
37
[37] S. Z. Ahmad, "Evaluating student satisfaction of quality at international branch campuses," Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, vol. 40, no. 4, pp. 488-507, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2014.925082
38
[38] H. Zhu, B. Li, S. K. E. Gan, and Q. Zhang, "The expectations and student satisfaction of mainland China Gen-Z students in an international branch campus," Social Sciences & Humanities Open, vol. 11, Art. no. 101470, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101470
39
[39] N. C. Hải, "Factors Affecting Student Satisfaction with Higher Education Service Quality in Vietnam," European Journal of Educational Research, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 339-351, 2022. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.11.1.339
40
[40] L. Đ. M. Trí, T. T. H. Lam, and N. Q. Trang, "Service quality in higher education: Applying HEdPERF scale in Vietnamese universities," Ho Chi Minh City Open University Journal of Science - Social Sciences, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 101-115, 2021. https://doi.org/10.46223/hcmcoujs.soci.en.11.1.1905.2021
41
[41] N. T. Luong and N. N. Thông, "Exploring the impact of support service on student satisfaction: The case of Vietnam higher education," Ho Chi Minh City Open University Journal of Science - Social Sciences, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 138-152, 2021. https://doi.org/10.46223/hcmcoujs.soci.en.11.2.2051.2021
42
[42] S. Chau and C. Cheung, "Academic satisfaction with hospitality and tourism education in Macao: the influence of active learning, academic motivation, and student engagement," Asia Pacific Journal of Education, vol. 38, no. 4, pp. 473-487, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1080/02188791.2018.1500350
43
[43] T. Abbas, "Predictors of Satisfaction Among Nontraditional Students in Tourism and Hospitality Higher Education: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach," Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 113-126, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1080/10963758.2016.1189830
44
[44] J. D. Jager and G. Gbadamosi, "Predicting students' satisfaction through service quality in higher education," The International Journal of Management Education, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 107-118, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2013.09.001
45
[45] G. Santos, C. S. Marques, E. Justino, and L. Mendes, "Understanding social responsibility's influence on service quality and student satisfaction in higher education," Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 256, Art. no. 120597, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120597
46
[46] T. Borishade, O. Ogunnaike, O. P. Salau, B. D. Motilewa, and J. Dirisu, "Assessing the relationship among service quality, student satisfaction and loyalty: the NIGERIAN higher education experience," Heliyon, vol. 7, no. 7, Art. no. e07590, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07590
47
[47] M. Ikram and H. B. Kenayathulla, "Education quality and student satisfaction nexus using instructional material, support, classroom facilities, equipment and growth: Higher education perspective of Pakistan," Frontiers in Education, vol. 8, 2023. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1140971
48
[48] H. S. Akareem and S. S. Hossain, "Determinants of education quality: what makes students' perception different?," Open Review of Educational Research, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 52-67, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1080/23265507.2016.1155167
49
[49] H. Al-Samarraie, B. K. Teng, A. I. Alzahrani, and N. Alalwan, "E-learning continuance satisfaction in higher education: a unified perspective from instructors and students," Studies in Higher Education, vol. 43, no. 11, pp. 2003-2019, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2017.1298088
50
[50] N. Elassy, "The concepts of quality, quality assurance and quality enhancement," Quality Assurance in Education, vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 250-261, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1108/qae-11-2012-0046
Author Biographies
Vu Thi Huyen
International Education Centre
Vu Thuy Duong
International Education Centre
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Vu Thi Huyen, Vu Thuy Duong
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors
Article Tools
Citation Impact
Crossref Cited-by
0
citations
Counted from citation links between Crossref-registered works.
Last checked 05 Nov 2026.