The role of personal values in enhancing student experience and satisfaction among international postgraduate students : an exploratory study

<b>Problem Statement:</b> Universities are faced with the challenging task of educating an increasingly diverse and mobile student community. An understanding of the backgrounds of students and their expectations is central to ensure effective delivery of educational and support services to enhance student experience and satisfaction. The study of student personal values is able to provide better understanding of student demands and aspirations and to assist universities to target educational and support services to meet the differential needs of students.<br /><br /><b>Purpose of Study:</b> To examine the differences in personal values among Asian international postgraduate students studying in Australian universities and to discuss the strategic implications of these differences in relation to enhancing student experience and satisfaction.<br /><br /><b>Research Methods:</b> Data collected from a sample of 371 postgraduate students from China, India, Indonesia and Thailand studying in five universities in Victoria, Australia. Personal values were measured using Kahle’s (1983) List Of Values (LOV). Factor analysis was undertaken to determine the underlying personal value domains and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to analyse the relationship of the value constructs to student satisfaction. ANOVA and MANOVA tests employed to examine the differences of personal values between the nationalities, gender and age.<br /><br /><b>Findings:</b> Factor Analysis resulted in a two factor solution and labelled as Self-efficacy and Hedonism which explained 73.5 percent of the variance. MANOVA and ANOVA results indicated significant differences (.001) across the values constructs of Self-efficacy and Hedonism and the individual variables between nationalities, gender and age.<br /><br />SEM results indicated a link between student satisfaction and the value domains of Self-efficacy and Hedonism.<br /><br /><b>Conclusions:</b> The study highlighed the opportunities for universities to recognise that Asia is a differentiated market place and the development of segmented approach in designing educational programs as part of the strategy to enhance student experience and satisfaction. The inclusion of cultural aspects in educational programs, promotional material that fits in with different cultural backgrounds of students, self-paced learning approaches, promotion of cross cultural understanding among university staff are among the recommended strategies.<br />