Abstract

Student satisfaction has been one of the core factors in retaining and attracting international business students to educational institutions. The ability to know the level of students’ satisfaction and the factors affecting it can add a competitive advantage and is considered an opportunity to act proactively in education business. While this information has substantial impact on institutional marketing strategies, there is a dearth of information about the level of satisfaction of business students in Northern Ontario, a vast geographical area representing only a small percentage of the Canadian population. This study aims to fill the gap in existing knowledge about international business students in a regional context. The study addresses the following questions: 1)What is the level of satisfaction of international business students studying in this northern Ontario region? 2)What are the perceived factors that affect the level of satisfaction of international business students in the region? Data were collected from international business students at Laurentian University using the Service Quality Model (SERVQUAL) to develop the conceptual framework guide. The model provided an explanation for the relation between the quality of service and customer expectations. The results of this study showed a satisfaction level that was lower than expected for international business students. This was evident particularly for females who had taken fewer courses with limited work experience and for graduate students. However, students-especially females-with more work experience were more satisfied. The findings lead to a number of implications for future research related to the formulation of curriculum and administrative policy.

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