Determinants of Educational Quality in UAE Universities: A Factor Analysis of Undergraduate Student Perceptions Across Demographic Groups
Keywords:
education quality; factor analysis; higher education; institutional policies; outcome-based evaluation; SERVQUAL; UAE universities; undergraduate studentsAbstract
This study examines the factors influencing undergraduate students’ perceptions of educational quality at a university in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Previous research about educational quality in the UAE did not focus on a comprehensive structure for quality indicators or the effect of demographic factors on them. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was employed, and the effects of student characteristics such as gender, study level, and faculty were also investigated. A survey of 117 undergraduate students from three faculties assessed 28 literature-derived quality indicators using a convenience sampling technique. Statistical analysis using R was conducted using methods appropriate for the Likert-scale data used in the survey, such as Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis test. Factor analysis revealed that these 28 factors can be grouped into three categories: Teaching and Curriculum Quality, Institutional Policies and Resources, and Student Support and Outcomes. The three categories were generally found to be important indicators of educational quality, explaining 57.8% of the variance. Regardless of the characteristics of students, 27 out of 28 indicators were rated as important, while only higher tuition fees were found not to be important as an indicator of educational quality. The findings suggest that teaching quality is the most influential dimension of educational quality, and that students’ perceptions are largely consistent across demographic groups. This study contributes to the literature by identifying three underlying dimensions of educational quality in a UAE university and examining how students from different demographic groups perceive these dimensions.
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.9.1
References
Abu-Rumman, A., & Qawasmeh, R. (2022). Assessing international students’ satisfaction of a Jordanian university using the service quality model. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 14(4), 1742–1760.? https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-05-2021-0166
Al Hassani, A. A., & Wilkins, S. (2022). Student retention in higher education: The influences of organizational identification and institution reputation on student satisfaction and behaviors. International Journal of Educational Management, 36(6), 1046–1064. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-03-2022-0123
Aldabbas, H., Elamin, A. M., Ahmed, A. Z. E., & Gernal, L. (2025). Assessing learning management system success in the UAE universities: How quality measures linked to students’ academic performance. Frontiers in Education, 10, Article 1554641. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1554641
Aldabbas, H., Gianni, M., & Alzoukani, A. (2026). Vocational education quality and students’ satisfaction: An empirical analysis in the UAE context. Quality Education for All, 3(1), 91–110. https://doi.org/10.1108/QEA-12-2024-0149
Ali, H. (2021). Using the Course Experience Questionnaire to assess UAE students’ perceptions of their learning environment. Journal of Education and Psychology Research, 3(1), 226–233. https://www.opastpublishers.com/open-access-articles/using-the-course-experience-questionnaire-to-assess-uae-students-perceptions-of-their-learning-environment.pdf
Al Mohsen, F., & Mohebi, L. (2024). Effectiveness of Field Experience Program in the United Arab Emirates (UAE): A mixed-methods study of stakeholders’ perceptions in the light of Vision 2030. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 23(10), 339–363. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.23.10.16
Al-Naqbi, A. K., & Alshannag, Q. (2018). The status of education for sustainable development and sustainability knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of UAE university students. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 19(3), 566–588. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-06-2017-0091
Anis, A., Abdullah, Z., & Islam, R. (2014). Defining quality education in higher learning institutions: Divergent views of stakeholders. International Journal of Arts & Sciences, 7(1), 375–385. https://www.rafikulislam.com/uploads/myworks/147591892855ceb38e78caa.pdf
Ashour, S. (2020a). Quality higher education is the foundation of a knowledge society: Where does the UAE stand? Quality in Higher Education, 26(2), 209–223. https://doi.org/10.1080/13538322.2020.1769263
Ashour, S. (2020b). How technology has shaped university students’ perceptions and expectations around higher education: An exploratory study of the United Arab Emirates. Studies in Higher Education, 45(12), 2513–2525. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1617683
Buckner, E., & Zhang, Y. (2021). The quantity-quality tradeoff: A cross-national, longitudinal analysis of national student-faculty ratios in higher education. Higher Education, 82(1), 39–60. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-020-00621-3 .
Dallasheh, W. W. (2026). Assessing the influence of total quality management domains in minority academic colleges: Concepts and execution. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 43(3), 717–740. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQRM-07-2024-0247
Datta, K. S., & Vardhan, J. (2017). A SERVQUAL-based framework for assessing quality of international branch campuses in UAE: A management students’ perspective. SAGE Open, 7(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244016676294
Deveci, T. (2022). UAE-based first-year university students’ perception of lifelong learning skills affected by COVID-19. Tuning Journal for Higher Education, 9(2), 279–306. https://doi.org/10.18543/tjhe.2069
Dodeen, H. (2013). Validity, reliability, and potential bias of short forms of students’ evaluation of teaching: The case of UAE university. Educational Assessment, 18(4), 235–250. https://doi.org/10.1080/10627197.2013.846670
El Alfy, S., & Abukari, A. (2020). Revisiting perceived service quality in higher education: Uncovering service quality dimensions for postgraduate students. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 30(1), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841241.2019.1648360
Elmassri, M., Pajuelo, M. L., Alahbabi, A. A., Alali, A. M., Alzitawi, M., Hussain, H., Alnabhani, K., & Elrazaz, T. (2023). Student perceptions of pedagogical approaches to integrating the SDG 8 into business school education. Sustainability, 15(19), Article 14084.? https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914084
Glazzard, J., & Stones, S. (2019). Student perceptions of feedback in higher education. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 18(11), 38–52. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.18.11.3
Goel, K. (2026). Impact of service quality dimensions on student satisfaction, academic achievement and self-perceived employability in business schools: A HEDQUAL approach. Journal of International Education in Business, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIEB-05-2025-0067
Grudowski, P., & Szczepa?ska, K. (2021). Quality gaps in higher education from the perspective of students. Foundations of Management, 13(1), 35–48.? https://doi.org/10.2478/fman-2021-0003
Guillén Perales, A., Liébana-Cabanillas, F., Sánchez-Fernández, J., & Herrera, L. J. (2024). Assessing university students’ perception of academic quality using machine learning. Applied Computing and Informatics, 20(1/2), 20–34.? https://doi.org/10.1108/ACI-06-2020-0003
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2010). Multivariate data analysis (7th ed.). Pearson Prentice Hall.
Ismailova, R., Chynybaev, M., Orunbaev, S., Omurov, N., Kalygulova, S., Zhumadilov, A., Isaeva, G., & Sirmbard, S. (2025). A comparative analysis of service quality and student perceptions in Kyrgyzstan’s higher education institutions. Cogent Education, 12(1), Article 2502202. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2502202
Jasti, N. V. K., Venkateswaran, V., & Kota, S. (2022). Total quality management in higher education: A literature review on barriers, customers and accreditation. The TQM Journal, 34(5), 1250–1272. https://doi.org/10.1108/TQM-11-2020-0256
Kafri, B. A. (2022). Critical thinking (CT) in sustainable higher education: Ensuring consistent CT perception-practice and identifying gaps between college instructors’ and students’ perceptions in advanced academic writing courses in the UAE. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 46, Article 101182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2022.101182
Krsmanovic, M., Horvat, A., & Ruso, J. (2014). Application of SERVQUAL model in high education [Conference session]. 11th International Conference “Standardization, Prototypes & Quality: A Means of Balkan Countries’ Collaboration” (pp. 1–5). University of Belgrade.
Langrafe, T. D. F., Barakat, S. R., Stocker, F., & Boaventura, J. M. G. (2020). A stakeholder theory approach to creating value in higher education institutions. The Bottom Line, 33(4), 297–313. https://doi.org/10.1108/BL-03-2020-0021
Marshall, S. J. (2018). Internal and external stakeholders in higher education. In Shaping the university of the future: Using technology to catalyse change in university learning and teaching (pp. 77–102). Springer Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-7620-6_4
Matsumoto, A. (2019). Literature review on education reform in the UAE. International Journal of Educational Reform, 28(1), 4–23. https://doi.org/10.1177/1056787918824188
Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, United Arab Emirates. (2022). Outcome-based evaluation framework university guide. Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, United Arab Emirates. https://caa.ae/Pages/Guidelines/Outcomes-based-Evaluation-framework-University-Guide.aspx
Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, United Arab Emirates. (2025, November 12). 57,000 new students join higher education institutions [Press release]. https://www.mohesr.gov.ae/En/MediaCenter/News/Pages/57,000-New-Students-Join-Higher-Education-Institutions.aspx
Nuseir, M. T., & El Refae, G. A. (2022). Factors influencing the choice of studying at UAE universities: An empirical research on the adoption of educational marketing strategies. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 32(2), 215–237. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841241.2020.1852467
Parasuraman, A. B. L. L., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. (1988). SERVQUAL: A multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality. Journal of Retailing, 64(1), 12–40. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225083802
Rahman, M. M., & Nasrin, S. (2024). Perceived service quality at higher education institutions: A study on the success factors of total quality management practices in Bangladesh. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 10, Article 100997.? https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2024.100997
Saliba, K., & Zoran, A. G. (2018). Measuring higher education services using the SERVQUAL model. Journal of Universal Excellence, 4, 160–179. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/347439049
Sameena, T. K. (2020). Students’ perception on core service quality in higher education institutions in UAE. Shanlax International Journal of Education, 8(2), 43–49. https://doi.org/10.34293/education.v8i2.1877
Shater, A., Alqawasmi, A., Hazaymeh, W. A., Aburezeq, I. M., & Dweikat, F. F. (2026). Investigating mathematics students’ perceptions on the role of professional diploma in teaching program in meeting the vision of sustainable development in the UAE. Scientific Culture, 12(1:1), 2959–2968.
Shehnaz, S. I., & Sreedharan, J. (2011). Students’ perceptions of educational environment in a medical school experiencing curricular transition in United Arab Emirates. Medical Teacher, 33(1), e37–e42. https://doi.org/10.3109/0142159X.2011.530312
Shehnaz, S. I., Sreedharan, J., & Gomathi, K. G. (2012). Faculty and students’ perceptions of student experiences in a medical school undergoing curricular transition in the United Arab Emirates. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 12(1), 77–85. https://doi.org/10.18295/2075-0528.1343
Soysal, Y. N., Baltaru, R. D., & Cebolla-Boado, H. (2024). Meritocracy or reputation? The role of rankings in the sorting of international students across universities. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 22(2), 252–263.? https://doi.org/10.1080/14767724.2022.2070131
Suleiman, A. (2023). Quality assurance strategies in higher education institutions. IOSR Journal of Research & Method in Education, 13, 29–37. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/375413600
Ullah, A., & Usman, M. (2023). Role of libraries in ensuring quality education at higher education institutions: A perspective of Pakistan. Inverge Journal of Social Sciences, 2(4), 13–22. https://doi.org/10.63544/ijss.v2i4.57
Wani, N. U. H., Deshpande, A., Sidana, N., & Rasa, M. M. (2025). Determinants of higher education quality in Afghanistan’s higher education sector: Insights from students’ perceptions. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 17(1), 123?138.? https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-03-2023-0094
Wilkins, S., Stephens Balakrishnan, M., & Huisman, J. (2012). Student satisfaction and student perceptions of quality at international branch campuses in the United Arab Emirates. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 34(5), 543–556. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2012.716003
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Mohammed Alnahhal, Lina Hamed, Sana Shibli, Shahad Alkeebali, Mazen Eltawil, Mosab Tabash, Zokir Mamadiyarov
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
All articles published by IJLTER are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No-Derivatives 4.0 International License (CCBY-NC-ND4.0).
