Perceptions of student services offered by the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Abstract

Student services is a division of higher education institutions that provides care and support to students. Universities are competing globally to attract students. Therefore, provision of specialised services in the form of student support is one way in which universities can gain a competitive advantage in the higher education sector. Student satisfaction has gained importance in assessing student services. Results of these assessments can assist policy makers in the decision-making process and provide a basis for continuous improvement. Universities seek to identify key factors that influence overall service quality and student satisfaction levels. Meeting the varied needs of a diverse student body remains a major challenge for higher education institutions. The aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions of students regarding student services offered at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The purpose of this study was to establish if students were aware of the support services offered and how frequently the services were used. Furthermore, this study intended to investigate student satisfaction levels of the services offered. Since the study is descriptive in nature, a quantitative research approach was adopted. Generalisability was a key consideration which led to the adoption of a simple random probability sampling technique. The students across all five campuses of the university were invited to participate to ensure that student opinions gathered from the sample were representative of the population. The results of this study highlighted that the students lacked awareness of the student services offered. It was evident from the study that students had not used the services to the extent the university desires demonstrating difficulty in accessing these services. Also, the overall satisfaction level of students who used the services was poor. The study also revealed poor student satisfaction level towards support staff at the Student Services Department. The data analysis highlighted some underlying causes for low satisfaction levels and identified key areas for improvement. The findings from the study presented recommendations for improvement of student services. Some of the key recommendations were improving access to the services through the provision of better signage and directions, effective advertising to promote awareness and training for improvement in staff competency. Discussion of the research findings have assisted in evaluating student perspectives regarding various sub-aspects of student services. The limitations of the study have been identified and have provided direction for future research.